Laughing At Myself: Newbie

NS Mike D · 05/07/2015, 04:46 PM

You think I would have known better after the brief moment I eyed the cleaner shrimp's discarded shell on the intake. But in my 29g nano, he was quick to spot hiding while his shell hardened, sparing me but just a few seconds if grief.
I was all happy, real cool life event happening in the new tank.

That was two weeks ago.

Yesterday morning, I was just thinking I haven't seen the emerald crab in day or so, when I spotted his remains in the back of the tank. Bummer. After that moment of reflection and "gonna miss ya buddy" at the waste basket, the panic set in. Checking everything, searching the internet to see if I had done something wrong or had I introduced some invisible parasite. Checking my books. Almost posted here.

Of course, last night when he showed himself and his new big claws, duh.....

NEWBIE: HE SHED!!!!

So I am laughing at how insane I was, double guessing wondering what I missed.

Meanwhile, it was a simple obvious answer all along.

Thanks Reef Central for all the help in what appears to be a very healthy first salt/reef tank and for planting a heavy dose of doubt and paranoia in my head. lol

billdogg · 05/07/2015, 04:51 PM

Welcome to the wild world of reefing!

FWIW - ALL of us have done the same thing - those that say they haven't are fooling only themselves.

And don't worry - they'll be plenty more chances for similar happenings in the future.

nvladik · 05/07/2015, 05:01 PM

I had one emerald malt right in front of the tank so i could see the whole process. In slo-mo I saw a hermit approach him, and finally find him half way out of the shell but still unable to move. Never saw the emerald again. But I did also find some body parts later.

I don't think you were too crazy to check everything.

CuzzA · 05/08/2015, 05:45 AM

And just so you know... Hermits molt too. So do amphipods. You'll see a lot of floating exoskeletons. The emeralds are always tricky though as they appear much like the crab.

MondoBongo · 05/08/2015, 07:06 AM

oh dude, every single time i see a shell floating around in the current from anything, i immediately go in to "Search and Rescue" mode, trying to find and verify that the owner is still alive.

reefer problems.

Kyle461 · 05/08/2015, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CuzzA

And just so you know... Hermits molt too. So do amphipods. You'll see a lot of floating exoskeletons. The emeralds are always tricky though as they appear much like the crab.

Man. Thanks for clearing that up with the amphipods. I was wondering why I had a bunch of "dead ones" recently that were caught in some hair algae. Makes sense now.

CuzzA · 05/08/2015, 08:06 AM

No problem. You're welcome.

Stolireef · 05/08/2015, 10:39 AM

I used to have a collection of Sally Lightfoot molts. Perfect replica of a live crab.

imjedi76 · 05/08/2015, 02:56 PM

I just picked up a mini carpet anemone yesterday. this morning I checked on it and saw parts of a fire shrimp in its mouth.. I was ****ed, fire shrimps are not cheap. After I calmed down I looked all over the tank and the fire shrimp was chilling under a rock overhang.. so yea.. I know how that feels.. of course I experienced a dead shrimp too and hoped it was molting instead of dead.

05/07/2015, 04:46 PM	#1
NS Mike D Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Huntington, NY Posts: 391	Laughing At Myself: Newbie You think I would have known better after the brief moment I eyed the cleaner shrimp's discarded shell on the intake. But in my 29g nano, he was quick to spot hiding while his shell hardened, sparing me but just a few seconds if grief. I was all happy, real cool life event happening in the new tank. That was two weeks ago. Yesterday morning, I was just thinking I haven't seen the emerald crab in day or so, when I spotted his remains in the back of the tank. Bummer. After that moment of reflection and "gonna miss ya buddy" at the waste basket, the panic set in. Checking everything, searching the internet to see if I had done something wrong or had I introduced some invisible parasite. Checking my books. Almost posted here. Of course, last night when he showed himself and his new big claws, duh..... NEWBIE: HE SHED!!!! So I am laughing at how insane I was, double guessing wondering what I missed. Meanwhile, it was a simple obvious answer all along. Thanks Reef Central for all the help in what appears to be a very healthy first salt/reef tank and for planting a heavy dose of doubt and paranoia in my head. lol

05/07/2015, 04:51 PM	#2
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	Welcome to the wild world of reefing! FWIW - ALL of us have done the same thing - those that say they haven't are fooling only themselves. And don't worry - they'll be plenty more chances for similar happenings in the future. __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

05/07/2015, 05:01 PM	#3
nvladik Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 361	Laughing At Myself: Newbie I had one emerald malt right in front of the tank so i could see the whole process. In slo-mo I saw a hermit approach him, and finally find him half way out of the shell but still unable to move. Never saw the emerald again. But I did also find some body parts later. I don't think you were too crazy to check everything.

05/08/2015, 07:06 AM	#5
MondoBongo Obligate Feeder Obsessed Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 4,061	oh dude, every single time i see a shell floating around in the current from anything, i immediately go in to "Search and Rescue" mode, trying to find and verify that the owner is still alive. reefer problems. __________________ [Citation Needed] "You don't use science to show that you're right, you use science to become right" - xkcd Current Tank Info: A rectangular shaped money pit.

05/08/2015, 10:39 AM	#8
Stolireef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Scottsdale AZ Posts: 3,180 Blog Entries: 5	I used to have a collection of Sally Lightfoot molts. Perfect replica of a live crab. __________________ I want to burn twice as bright and half as long. Oh, and a full tank crash is just an excuse for a new build. Current Tank Info: 125 Rimless Leemar, Apex, Trigger 30 Elite Sump, Vertex 180i Skimmer, 2 X Gen4 Radion XR30W, BM Doser, 2xMP40WES, 2xTunze 6095, Sicce Syncra 4.0.

05/08/2015, 05:45 AM	#4
CuzzA Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Palm Harbor, FL Posts: 2,997	And just so you know... Hermits molt too. So do amphipods. You'll see a lot of floating exoskeletons. The emeralds are always tricky though as they appear much like the crab.

05/08/2015, 08:06 AM	#7
CuzzA Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Palm Harbor, FL Posts: 2,997	No problem. You're welcome.

05/08/2015, 02:56 PM	#9
imjedi76 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 132	I just picked up a mini carpet anemone yesterday. this morning I checked on it and saw parts of a fire shrimp in its mouth.. I was ****ed, fire shrimps are not cheap. After I calmed down I looked all over the tank and the fire shrimp was chilling under a rock overhang.. so yea.. I know how that feels.. of course I experienced a dead shrimp too and hoped it was molting instead of dead.