emerald crabs

[greytracer]

I have an emerald crab in my 10 gal nano tank along with some hermit crabs and a blue damsel. The tank is doing well. About a month ago, I thought I was loosing my mind. I saw something fuzzy under a rock but, of course, no one else did. Last night I saw a small (body maybe 1/2 inch) white almost transparent crab - I'm assuming a baby emerald. Does anyone know the gestation process for these guys? Could I have more? I've had the emerald for maybe 3 months. Anything special I need to do/don't do?

 

[elfdoctors]

I have never heard of emerald mithrax crabs reproducing in marine aquaria.
I am thinking of two possibilities to explain what you saw. I am wondering if you actually saw a molt. It will be paler and slightly smaller then the original crab. The second possiblity is that you have a second crab which was a hitchhiker on some live rock.

 

[greytracer]

I definitely know it's not a molt. It ran the down the edge of the tank and even jabbed at me when I put a finger to the glass. I made sure I had witnesses this time but turned my head and when I looked back it was gone.
It also is identical to the emerald crab but almost transparent. What do young emerald's look like. I don't believe it caught a ride on LR because we've had that 3 months longer than the emerald. Also, the LR doesn't do well in the nano tank cuz it doesn't get the required light. It's not developing the same as our big tank, and we got the LR at the same time.