Purple lobster

[roxys655]

Hey everyone! Guess what - my purple lobster finally molted. I can't believe it! Of course, I wasn't home when it happened. My question to everyone is do I leave it in the tank - the shell I mean - or take it out before it decays. Will it spike my nitrates. I have a 30 gal tank with 3 fish and a few corals, a purple lobster, crabs, and snails. By the way the purple lobster is back in his cave. :jumping:

 

[roxys655]

Anyone?

 

[roxys655]

I guess no one knows really. I think I will leave it in there for a day or two and just watch my levels. :happyfish

 

[alyssia]

I leave my molts in for the clean up crew to eat. If their is anything left after a day or so I remove it.

 

[candycane]

I don't really know if it will hurt your levels or not, but what exactly would the point of leaving it in there be? Just to watch it decay? In all seriousness. In the event that I have something that molts, I just make sure my iodine levels are good and pull the shell out

 

[roxys655]

Thank you Alesia for the reply. I usually leave the shrimps molts in there, but they are much smaller. The lobster molt is a good two inches.

 

[roxys655]

Whats a good iodine level. Never measured mine

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by Roxys655
Whats a good iodine level. Never measured mine

IDK. I've never tested mine either.

 

[firedog]

I leave my molts in. I read somewhere that leaving them in is a good idea, it replaces some nutrients or something like that. Can't remember where I saw that.

 

[mark_d]

I leave my molts. Replaces nutrients and keeps stuff that would hurt the animal that molted busy. Not sayin this always happens but the one time i got rid of a hermits molt my cleaner shrimp ate the hermit crab...