Emeral Crab Question!

[newbieabc]

My emeral crab sheded or so I think, and this is what i saw! It has its belly open and appers to be full of eggs. A couple of weeks ago I saw two of them "Doing it", so i assume there eggs. It looks like the fish are enjoying it.
So my questions are:
- Is that a shed of the crab or the crab itself?
- Is there anyway to salvage the eggs?
Thanks a lot,
Austin

 

[markanderson]

1. that is the crabs exoskeleton. It sheds its exoskeleton periodically so that it can grow larger, like snakes. The process is called molting.
2. no. you cannot save the eggs. emerald crabs can be bred but the average is not equip to do it.

 

[newbieabc]

Thanks!
Your not gonna belive what happened just now!
I'm uploading the video on youtube!
Check back in like five mintues!!!

 

[newbieabc]

OMG!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfJja5sZm0U

 

[newbieabc]

What... everyones seen this before?

 

[rldavisou]

What the heck? It pulled it under the sand? I've never seen that before. Really cool! What was that animal that pulled it under? I have nassarius snails that burrow under the sand, but they don't pull anything down with them, and they certainly don't look like that.

 

[donald]

I have that same snail in my tank and he always does that. I feed him pieces of dead shrimp and he comes out, grabs it and takes it under. I don't see him untill the next feeding time.

 

[newbieabc]

Originally Posted by rldavisou
What the heck? It pulled it under the sand? I've never seen that before. Really cool! What was that animal that pulled it under? I have nassarius snails that burrow under the sand, but they don't pull anything down with them, and they certainly don't look like that.
Yeah, it was a emeral crab molt that had eggs in it!
Ive never seen them do that to other molts before.