Lost Shell

[Tooch]

So I haven't been able to spend much time looking at my little tank as I typically like since I've been in the hospital with Cara, so I spent alittle while staring at it last night when we got home.

I noticed something really strange. My Sally Lightfoot crab "Facefingers" looked really really colorful. The greens were really standing out, and there seemed to be more of it.

I looked behind all the rock where the Wrasse usually chills, and noticed another crab on it's back. I was like "Holy Crap! I just saw FaceFingers moving around, and now he's dead???" Well, that was the first thought. Then I thought "There's no way I had a hitchhiker that big and didn't notice him..."

You gotta remember, I sat bored outta my mind at the hospital with little to no mental stimulation other than my book for the past 4 days. Then it hit me. My Crab molted! (That's what crabs and crayfish do, right? Molt?) It was a completly whole, attached shell. I have no idea how he may of gotten out of it without it falling apart or something...

Now here's the question... Do I need to get the shell out? I have no idea how I would, other than breaking down all of my LR... It's a small tank, and the shell is on the bottom in the back of a cave... Will it be ok in there for the hermits, snails, fish and crabs to eat? They get a ton of calcium from that, right?

All advice is appreciated!

[sailor]

I leave any shrimp or crab molts in the tank to be consumed, it is good for them.

[Tooch]

Awesome! I thought I read that somewhere, but it's such a large shell and a small tank, I wasn't sure if decomposing shell could cause an ammonia spike.

[unleashed]

don't worry. there is no body tissue so there will be no ammonia spike.

The shell will eventually break down and add calcium back to the tank

[Tooch]

Excellent! For some reason, my tank is always low on calcium... Guess this will only help!

[RainMan]

I was waiting for the answer to your question too. If I ever have shell fish... I won't have to ask or look it up now. I've never even thought about it before. :)