Emerald crab dead?

[Reefer_madness78]

So I'm pretty sure my emerald crab has died. I was doing a wc this morning and he was lifeless on the sandbed. I took him out and have him in some tank water. He has molted before and though he was dead but it was just his shell. Do they go into like a dead state before they molt or is he a goner?

 

[MnFish1]

From reading - and personal experience - they can remain motionless for some time after molting - but they usually leave teh old shell and then go hide (i.e. you don't see them). Are you absolutely sure its not the old shell? I would also do 'the smell test' - if its dead you will know. I would tend to keep it in a net perhaps in the tank and watch for a day or 2. (unless its smelling bad)

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I know it’s silly but emerald crabs are my favorite reef creature. I hope he’s just pulling a prank on you.

 

[Reefer_madness78]

From reading - and personal experience - they can remain motionless for some time after molting - but they usually leave teh old shell and then go hide (i.e. you don't see them). Are you absolutely sure its not the old shell? I would also do 'the smell test' - if its dead you will know. I would tend to keep it in a net perhaps in the tank and watch for a day or 2. (unless its smelling bad)

Yeah I'm sure it's not his old shell. He is still perfectly intact. I just took him out to smell and he does have slight dead odor. Maybe he hasn't been dead long.

 

[MnFish1]

Yeah I'm sure it's not his old shell. He is still perfectly intact. I just took him out to smell and he does have slight dead odor. Maybe he hasn't been dead long.

if even there is a slight dead odor, you're sure its not the old shell, and its not moving at all - I would call it 'dead'

 

[Reefer_madness78]

if even there is a slight dead odor, you're sure its not the old shell, and its not moving at all - I would call it 'dead'

That sucks. I've only had he a little over a year

 

[MnFish1]

That sucks. I've only had he a little over a year

by the way - just to clarify - I dont mean an 'ocean' odor - I mean a bad smell

 

[DebraLV]

I was doing an inventory on my tank today and I saw my lifeless emerald crab behind rocks. I was so upset as I've only had him a month. I netted it and gave him a proper toilet flush burial.

I then googled, why did my emerald crab die? I found nothing then found a thread on here about checking the tank as he could have molted. So I went in with my Atomic Beam light and checked every nook & cranny. Then surprise, I found him hanging under a rock munching on Chaeto. He was also twice as big. My LFS never told me crabs molt. I have ghost shrimp in my tropical and they molt but as a beginner in SW, I never knew crabs molt too. So thanks to this forum, I'm a happy girl today and apparently I flushed an exoskelton.

 

[DebraLV]

I was doing an inventory on my tank today and I saw my lifeless emerald crab behind rocks. I was so upset as I've only had him a month. I netted it and gave him a proper toilet flush burial.

I then googled, why did my emerald crab die? I found nothing then found a thread on here about checking the tank as he could have molted. So I went in with my Atomic Beam light and checked every nook & cranny. Then surprise, I found him hanging under a rock munching on Chaeto. He was also twice as big. My LFS never told me crabs molt. I have ghost shrimp in my tropical and they molt but as a beginner in SW, I never knew crabs molt too. So thanks to this forum, I'm a happy girl today and apparently I flushed an exoskelton.

I just wanted to post a good photo of my Emerald crab a day after he molted. When I purchased him a month ago, he was just a dull, brown crab hiding under a rock. Today, he is a good, looking Emarald crab. I guess that's why they call them Emerald. He is showing his beautiful color. He hid for a day after molting, but today he came out with claws like knives and forks when I fed brine shrimp.

I have learned so much from this forum and I thank you guys so much. My tank is just 6 weeks old, and peeps on here said go bigger, so I did with a 20 gallon. That will be started up tomorrow. I guess I did something right with SW Thanks to you guys for helping out beginners with just fowler tanks and not reefs. Most other forums just ignore your questions.