Arrow Crab Eating itself?

[leilanastasia]

I have had this crab for 2, almost 3 months and I’ve never seen it do this til yesterday and tonight. It seems to have its body hanging out like almost as if he has a rib cage and it’s just fully exposed. He is potentially eating himself or at least picking at himself. Does anyone know why? What is the solution if it’s not normal?

also, are arrow crabs safe around coral? I’d love to get some but want to make sure it won’t ruin them. Are there certain corals I can and can’t have with an arrow crab?

 

[leilanastasia]

The video almost uploaded, then didn’t so I’m trying again.
(Edit: video didn’t work again)

 

[Marten]

It looks like your arrow crab is just picking itself clean. And as to being reef and coral safe, I have never had one eat or pester my corals.

 

[leilanastasia]

It looks like your arrow crab is just picking itself clean. And as to being reef and coral safe, I have never had one eat or pester my corals.

How come they pick themselves clean?

 

[MaxTremors]

I can’t tell from the pic, but arrow crabs (and all crabs, I think) have an abdominal flap that they can open. I had one years ago and I had had it for a couple weeks when one day it climbed up to the top of the rock work and opened up its little flap and started shaking its insides with its pinchers. It was shaking out little zoea (babies!) into the water column. The fish went nuts and ate them all, but it was pretty cool to watch. So don’t be too concerned if it’s opening up the little flap, it could just be cleaning it out.

They pic themselves clean for the same reason you take a shower, to clean themselves. They only have pinchers, so they’re kind of limited to picking, but they’re getting rid of anything stuck to or growing on their exoskeleton.

 

[TriggerFinger]

It looks like it could be releasing babies. Probably not eating itself.

 

[Marten]

You could have a misses crab here and she might just be making sure that she is well prepared for eggs.

 

[leilanastasia]

It looks like it could be releasing babies. Probably not eating itself.

Woah. That actually makes so much sense!!! I saw a bunch of little white dots floating around the first night I saw it! I originally thought they were a deformed version of brine shrimp / misis I put into the tank. So interesting

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Yes that looks like a purse egg on the side. Usually they release at lights out. Ive had emerald crabs spawn in my tanks and snails.
Free fish food.
D

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

How many cigars do you have to buy when your crab has babies???

 

[topjago]

Kind of a side note question for anyone with a arrow crab, how responsive are they when you try to poke them or scare them with something.? Mine seems to be blind, only seems to move around with feel of touch. And if I put a feeding tube in front of his face he won’t move until It feels a touch is this normal or is mine just blind ?