Shell Rot?

[emicrobe]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Coco fibre, 4" deep
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?
Yes, temp 72-75. humidity 70-80
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Yes, UTC and night heat lamp
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)?
Fresh and salt always available. Using Instant Ocean for salt
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
FMR mixed food
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
6 months or so. Caribbean Crab I think (red/blue)
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Molted last week
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
Currently in 10 gallon isolation tank
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
Currently alone
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
two other shells
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
no
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Cleaned before putting in ISO
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
Yes. Boiled
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No
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.)?
Nothing of note.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
My crab had molted and I did not realize it. (2/10/16) Discovered the crab during regular inspection of the main tank and it was white. Moved it to isolation and then found his exoskeleton a day later. Put it in a shell in the ISO tank. Crab was hanging around water dish half out of the shell but would pull into shell quickly when I looked in on it. 2/12/16 came home from work and crab was out of his shell under hidey hut. Boiled shell and two other alternatives. Coaxed back into original shell the same evening. Noticed large black spot on large claw. Unsure what to do, I looked online and have been doing tetracycline baths since 2/14/16. I have seen him out some and he has quick response to me intruding his space. He/she has eaten most of its exoskeleton and I have added some calcium carbonate to his food dish hoping it would be of benefit.

Is there anything else I should be doing? Is shell rot a death sentence?

http://s18.postimg.org/o6h94mkfd/downlo ... 093703.jpg

[landlubber]

That does look like shell rot, or some kind of bacterial issue. It's not unusual for a contagious shell rot to begin underneath the current exo and not show up until the animal has shed the exo, so you wouldn't have known when inspecting him when you first got him. Please keep in mind this is contagious-watch your other crabs for any signs (I'd be checking them all over right now if you haven't already) and ISO them if they look infected also. If you haven't deep cleaned the main tank I would at least make sure you remove the substrate around where the crab molted in case the shell rot bacteria was released into the substrate (this is how crabs commonly spread shell rot).

Some crabs do recover from shell rot. And the only real way to recover is to survive to molt again, as many times as it takes for the crab to become bacteria free. From what I've read on shell rot I doubt the antibiotics are going to do anything, and I don't know if there's any concerns with giving crabs an antibiotic. Here is an article about shell rot and treating it. The article is from a more scientific perspective and he seems to feel light (or lack of light) is a big factor in recovery....

http://thereefuge.com/threads/shell-rot ... arus.5532/

In your main tank, what size is it an how many crabs are in it? Bacterial issues or fungal infections can be due to the bacterial balance off in the tank allowing nasty bacteria to proliferate without the "good" bacteria to eat it.

I'm sorry this happened. Hopefully your crab will soon recover and that will be the end of it.

[wodesorel]

That looks like an injury to me, possibly from being pulled from it's shell by another crab when you found it naked - they will attack their own if they find one that is in the process of molting. If it's not getting bigger, then it's normal darkening of the flesh in response to being exposed to air. He'll either drop it or attempt to repair it on the next molt.

I've heard tetracycline is safe, but have never used any antiobiotics on my crabs, even for open wounds. They heal themselves.

[emicrobe]

That does look like shell rot, or some kind of bacterial issue. It's not unusual for a contagious shell rot to begin underneath the current exo and not show up until the animal has shed the exo, so you wouldn't have known when inspecting him when you first got him.
Well, that is good and bad news I guess. We got all of the crabs at PetSmart but that might not say anything about their care.

Please keep in mind this is contagious-watch your other crabs for any signs (I'd be checking them all over right now if you haven't already) and ISO them if they look infected also. If you haven't deep cleaned the main tank I would at least make sure you remove the substrate around where the crab molted in case the shell rot bacteria was released into the substrate (this is how crabs commonly spread shell rot).
Well, the main tank is in my office at work. My office mate and I mix their substrate regularly so when we found his head it was during that time. The spot wasn't there when we found him and I moved him to the isolation tank I keep at my house for the times a crab needs more attention than they would get at work.

Some crabs do recover from shell rot. And the only real way to recover is to survive to molt again, as many times as it takes for the crab to become bacteria free. From what I've read on shell rot I doubt the antibiotics are going to do anything, and I don't know if there's any concerns with giving crabs an antibiotic. Here is an article about shell rot and treating it. The article is from a more scientific perspective and he seems to feel light (or lack of light) is a big factor in recovery....

http://thereefuge.com/threads/shell-rot ... arus.5532/

In your main tank, what size is it an how many crabs are in it? Bacterial issues or fungal infections can be due to the bacterial balance off in the tank allowing nasty bacteria to proliferate without the "good" bacteria to eat it.

The main tank is 40 gallons, also with coconut fiber, under tank heater, salt and fresh water bowls, and the mixed food. We have 4 crabs here, 1 big, two medium, and a small one. I bought play sand last night and this weekend I will be baking it and replacing all the coconut fiber with sand instead. I had read an article that mixing in some sea salt with the sand helps inhibit bad bacteria. Plus the added value of being able to sanitize the sand seems like a better choice.

I'm sorry this happened. Hopefully your crab will soon recover and that will be the end of it.

I got up to let the dog out around 3 this morning and the crab was eating. I got a good look at the spot and it looks worse when it is wet like the picture I posted (he was taking a bath when I took it) since he has just molted is the injury something that will encourage a molt sooner? I put some spirulina in an alternate food dish hoping that giving him a vitamin boost would help, but I just don't have enough experience to know what is really effective and what is a waste of time and money.

Thank you for your reply! Its tough not knowing if they are in pain or suffering or what. I assume that seeing it out and about still is a good sign. Will he need to be isolated until his next molt? That would be lonely.

[emicrobe]

That looks like an injury to me, possibly from being pulled from it's shell by another crab when you found it naked - they will attack their own if they find one that is in the process of molting. If it's not getting bigger, then it's normal darkening of the flesh in response to being exposed to air. He'll either drop it or attempt to repair it on the next molt.

I've heard tetracycline is safe, but have never used any antiobiotics on my crabs, even for open wounds. They heal themselves.

Luckily he was in the isolation tank before he went naked. Its not just a dark spot though, it looks like it is a shallow indentation where the dark parts are really rough.

I've read conflicting information about a crab being naked and how serious the situation is. Obviously something is wrong and needs to be addressed but some people make it sound like a naked crab is a dead crab and others just say its an indicator that something needs to be done. Other than providing optimum environment and diet is there anything to be done to encourage another molt? Does he need to be isolated until it happens?

[landlubber]

In my experience when viewing a "rust spot" in shell rot disease that is exactly how shell rot differs from scabs. My crabs scabs were always a dark, smooth brown or black. It almost looked like a thin slice of licorice (I know that sounds weird) stretched over the wound. Shell rot the hole looks cavernous, rough, craggey, it gets larger - sometimes substantially over just a couple of days.

If you believe he has shell rot I would continue to isolate. If you feel your crab sustained an injury if he is acting normally there is no reason for him not to have a main tank molt-and yes, he will molt again quickly after that injury.

Some people will put a dab of salt water or honey over the wound with what I've heard are good results. Spirulina for him was an excellent idea-it's a super food! Honey is another one, calciums-I would take a look at this link and understanding what nutrients were needed for what functions helped me decide on what to buy-you'll be looking at foods specifically linked with good molts.

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 25&t=92554

[Kaleighshermies]

My personal opinion is to keep him isolated where it is an injury or shells rot. It is safer for him to be away from the other crabs if it is shell rot so they don't get it either. If it is an injury maybe being alone for sometime will give him the confidence and feel safe enough to molt again soon with out worrying of being surrounded by those who might hurt him again.

[landlubber]

I just wanted to throw out there-if you do think it's shell rot (and it may not be) please let me know if you have any questions. I had a shell rot epidemic in my tanks years ago and although it's been a long time I researched it extensively and have personal experience with it so I can tell you what worked or didn't work. I dealt with it for months and months-I'd deep clean the main tank-ISO infected crabs, and when main tank crabs molted they showed signs of infection and the bacteria would be re-released into the tank again and I'd have to deep clean again, and hope there would not be a next time, but there were several next times. It was a nightmare. I know at the time there were several HCA members who had experience with it and helped me, like Herm-ez (not around anymore) and one or so other members and some of the other sites members. Shell rot is very different from bacterial infections from an unclean tank (which a good clean usually fixes the problem), or general infected injuries.

I don't want to freak people out about every little imperfection on their crabs exo, but I do KNOW shell rot happens. I would just want to save anyone from that crappy experience.

[mlakers]

Just from the picture and from what you've said about the crab's history, I would lean toward it being an injury. Freshly molted (you said you found him when he was white) and super soft, it wouldn't take much to inflict that kind of damage and the location seems exactly where an injury might occur if another crab were trying to get hold of him. Also, him soaking it in the water might be a way of soothing the pain.

[Pinkieetoes]

I think my crab has shell rot what can I do?

[curlysister]

I think my crab has shell rot what can I do?

Why do you think that? Can you post a photo please?