Did it die, or just molt?

fretfreak13

fretfreak13

Active Member
Well my day is totally sucking so far! First the torch coral and now this! My little pom pom crab, found it's body in my five gallon (different tankthan the torch). Started to mourn the little guy, I love him sooo much, but then somthing struck me. If it was dead, wouldn't the hermits be trying to eat it? I picked it up and put it right infront of one and it didn't go near it.
Is there a specific way to tell if a pom pom died, or just molted?
 
small triggers

small triggers

Active Member
if the shell is completely empty including the claws,, its a molt, it you can tell it ripped out of the carapice then probably dead...
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
An almost sure bet with pom pom crabs is whether or not the nems are still attached to the shell you find. If its a molt, the bend won't be there. That's how I always tell.
 
fretfreak13

fretfreak13

Active Member
So, even if they die they don't let go of their poms? Would their muscles like..release and they'd float away? Cause my little carcass/molt/whatever he is isn't holding his pom poms.

And what do you mean, ripped out of the carapice? o_O
 
troy989

troy989

Active Member
im prety sure that the anomone is more like attatched to the claw than the crab is holding it. heres my storry like this... so my favorite biggest crab is killing one of my little ones. i dont want him to kill anymore so i throw him in my bros (cycling tank) to prevent anymore casualties hes looking fine i go to bed there he is out of the shell dead since he was my favorite i was like "Nooo i killed the litl feler" then i came back hours later(cause my bro wanted me to flush him and it was a molt i was like "ANDREW HES NOT DEAD!!!!" and i put him back in my tank and wont do anything like that again
 
fretfreak13

fretfreak13

Active Member
lol nice, I wish more people in my family were interested in reefing. and pom pom crabs definetly carry their nems, cause when they molt they set them down and then pick them back up when they're done. Still no sign of a living crab though. =( I know they hide until their shells get stronger, if it did molt and not die, but how many hiding places can you find in a little five gallon?
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Originally Posted by troy989
http:///forum/post/3195401
lol i just thought the anomones just kinda stuck to the claws
A lot of people think that. Actually, they place the anemones down to molt and then pick them back up again. They don't grow new ones after each molt. This is how I can tell whether or not my PomPom Crab has molted or is dead. The dead ones always still have their nems because nothing will eat them.
 
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