Did I do that?

[OnceTrueFalseBr]

Ok. So i finally swapped my tanks.

Two things i noticed and one that i am concerned about.

1. My peppermint shrimp molted. WOOT!

2. I am not sure if I killed my emerald crab by ripping off its head.

I recently noticed that the emerald crab I have was larger. Almost twice the size! it is now about 2.5" and it has massive claws compared to what my memory serves me.

Here is the tricky thing. When i was transferring live rock from my smaller tank to my larger tank i felt something under my finger and i noticed there was an emerald crab sitting there not moving. I went to move it and the top shell broke off!! I am certain i killed it! but the next thing I know i see an emerald crab off in the corner(the bigger one).

My questions:
1. When emeralds molt do their last shells stay green like normal? (i'm used to molts being clear or white-ish, like my peppermint shrimps molt last night, and when i used to have cray fish)
2. is it possible i had two Emeralds(one hitch hiker?) and never noticed, and I killed one by trying to pick it up off the rock? (unlikely, but i am always open to suggestions)

[jrp1588]

I'm betting it was a molt. I can't imagine you could just accidentally pull the top of its shell off. That being said, I've never had an emerald before, and I don't know if their molts are transparent.

[NSimpkins]

It was a molt. It almost feels like the full crab but it's not. The first time I saw it I thkught I had a mystery crab but it was just the molt.

[OnceTrueFalseBr]

Originally Posted by NSimpkins

It was a molt. It almost feels like the full crab but it's not. The first time I saw it I thkught I had a mystery crab but it was just the molt.

whew thats a relief!!

I was literally holding the molt up in the air examining it, feeling totally at a loss.

I was kinda sad for a bit, but hoped it was just a molt... I thought i had killed it. \\, but seeing the larger version still was somewhat of a reassurance at that time, but i still had my doubts!

Thanks!

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by NSimpkins

It was a molt. It almost feels like the full crab but it's not.

Exactly.

[Teenreefer15]

Originally Posted by nsimpkins

it was a molt. It almost feels like the full crab but it's not. The first time i saw it i thkught i had a mystery crab but it was just the molt.

+1

[SGT_York]

Emerald crabs don't go down without a fight if you had your finger on it he'd let you know.

[OnceTrueFalseBr]

Originally Posted by SGT_York

Emerald crabs don't go down without a fight if you had your finger on it he'd let you know.

Lol yea i dont want my finger near its claws after seeing how big he got after one molt!

Is this a good sign of my tank health? Or theyll molt no matter what.