Surface molt/tote molt

[Moe2076]

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I was setting up my 75 gal. I am on the last crab in the tote I had been keeping this batch of 1 large 2 med and 2 micro/tiny. I just picked these guys up maybe 3 days ago. I get to the last one (the smallest he's micro or teeny) and at first I thought he was out of the shell so I panic a minute then pick up the shell and look and I see his little pale pink BP in there and look closer and realize he molted in the tote inside of a wet paper towel. I lost my mind a minute more as the temp was dropping to about 67-69 and mixed up some more sub and then set him up in an iso. I put him in the corner next to a UTH I attached to the tote and then gave him some dry food both waters in about 5 inches of sub. I think I have it all covered but just wanted to post here to see if I missed anything.

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
5to 1 play sand EE about 5 inches in an ISO tote

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
the humidity was rnning high 80-s and 90's and the temp was in teh 80's but it had dropped for an hour or so to about 67. In the iso he's in now it's back to 86% and 72.5 in the opposite side of the UTH, UTH side is 78.2 F just now

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Reptile basic duck taped to the long side

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
both waters stress coat plus and instant ocean


5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I had fruits in there banana peel, pineapple apple, I just added a dry dish with coconut, meal worms natures salad (all on the safe list)

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
just 3 days PP

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
He's surface molting now

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
He's in a tote right now, when he wakes up I'll add him to one of my other tanks. 20 long, 40 breeder and 75

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
just him in the iso for now, he was with 4 others, his exo looked ok before I picked it up so they had not attacked him.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
ooo I almost forgot that! I put 5 green silver mouthed turbos of various sizes in there for him/her

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
no

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I cleaned it ouit with 50/50 vinegar declor

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
no, they harbor bacteria

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
nothing I hadn't already mentioned

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
no




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[Moe2076]

He moved! I put in a shell with some honey and crushed up some cuttlebone into the dry food. I put in some grapes, blueberry, apple. He's just kinda sitting there moving his antennae a bit. There's some moss in there too.

[Crabby in NJ]

Mannn I just typed up a paragraph and it disappeared!

Long story short...same thing with my lil mini guy happened. Went in iso, Aussie gave advice which I took and all is well! Back in the big boy tank in a way too big shell for himself but he’s happy and alive! Molting is scary no matter what anyone says lol glad ur guy is feeling good enough to do a lil movement. Y’all r in my thoughts!

[Moe2076]

S/he is just hanging out in that same spot. I'm trying to balance leaving it be and checking on it. I remind myself that it has molted bunches of time before and obviously felt comfortable enough to molt at the bottom of that paper towel pile in the tote. I covered the tote with a towel.

Will he dig again or is it harder to dig when they have shed thier exo and are pinkish/white still?
How soon after they shed it do they usually eat the exo?
How do I know when it is safe to reintroduce her to the main tank?

[Crabby in NJ]

S/he is just hanging out in that same spot. I'm trying to balance leaving it be and checking on it. I remind myself that it has molted bunches of time before and obviously felt comfortable enough to molt at the bottom of that paper towel pile in the tote. I covered the tote with a towel.

Will he dig again or is it harder to dig when they have shed thier exo and are pinkish/white still?
in my experience, they don’t. They are too weak to do so from the shedding process to move. Once they eat the exo, mine chilled 2/3 more days then Came back up by themselves, acting normal.
How soon after they shed it do they usually eat the exo? i believe once it’s shed but someone else can give a better explanation I’m sure.
How do I know when it is safe to reintroduce her to the main tank? when they are back to acting their normal selves. No lethargic signs. That’s when I was told it was okay and everything went smooth sailing once I dipped em in the water and got em back in there.

[Moe2076]

I gave it some egg and eggshell and moved it's exo to right near it, and covered it in a cocohut. I think It ate some exo last night, maybe some egg, it's tucked back in the shell chilling now.

[Crabby in NJ]

I gave it some egg and eggshell and moved it's exo to right near it, and covered it in a cocohut. I think It ate some exo last night, maybe some egg, it's tucked back in the shell chilling now.

All ya can do now is just wait it out and boy is that Hard! Especially for someone like me that hasn’t gotten a camera yet! Lol! Everything will work itself out