Arrow Crab fell apart

[75reef]

I had an arrow crab in my tank for about a week and then one day I came dwon and looked in the tank and I see the crab dead in the middle of the tank and all but two of his legs no longer attached andwere laying off to the side. I don't even have anything in my tank that could've done that.

I have: 1- cinnamon clown, 1- false percula clown, 1- royal gramma basslet, and 3- neon cleaner gobies. I also have about 7 or 8 small hermit crabs. All my water parameters are actually perfect right now. I am at a total loss as to how this happened. He was perfectly fine the night before. Anybody have any ideas?

 

[Dentoid]

Could he have molted? Shed his outer exoskeleton in favor of growth? They will hide after a molt due to their vulnerability. Keep an eye for him, he may just surprise you.

 

[75reef]

His whole complete body was there. It has actually been about a week now since that happened and I have not seen any signs of him. That is always a possibility, but I doubt it at this point just since the body itslef was complete without and splits in it or anything.

 

[Dentoid]

Did you dissect it? Just kidding!

Sorry about that. Inverts are very sensitive to sudden changes in water parameters. Could there have been some event or maintenance procedure that caused a sudden change?

 

[75reef]

Not that I am aware of. It's really just kindof plain odd. The othet thing is, I would think if it was anything like that, that he would've just died and not fell apart as well. I will definitely keep an eye out for him just incase he does come out and suprise me!

 

[ScubaDrew]

Check out my chronical for pics of a complete shell of a crab that I opened up to find... empty!

You would not believe the size of the hole hey slide out of.

 

[BigAl07]

Yeah it's kind of shocking to see an EXACT replica of them and in tact. I did take one out and look it over... just a tiny slit that he slid out of. When they molt they are so soft since the shell IS their bone type structure so they are VERY malleable until the new one hardens. Also at this time they are so vulnerable to others in the tank (even critters that normally would be EATEN but them) that they do hide for a couple of days. I lost a Fire Cleaner Shrimp recently due to this. He had just molted and was hanging from his cave when my much smaller purple lobster took advantage of the situation and made a meal out of a much larger critter.

Hopefully you'll see him again soon.

Allen

 

[AQTCJAK]

YOUr Royal Gramma could have done it htey can be farely aggressive twards crabs

 

[75reef]

never thought of that little guy doing it... but if they are aggressive towards crabs, that could very well be it.