Whitest PP I have ever seen! Not sure why...

[wodesorel]

I was talking to my friend who owns the pet shop, and she mentioned they took in a crab from one of their customers earlier in the day. They were pretty sure she'd had the crab for something like 5 or more years, and it was kept by itself. That made them pause a bit about putting it in their tank at the store for sale. What really made them worry was the color. She didn't know if it was nutritional, when I saw her photo I was thinking freshly molted. Anyway, I asked if she was hinting and she offered me the crab if I wanted it. Hubby set an ISO up for me and we went and got it.

What I can tell you, is that it wasn't freshly molted. It also hasn't been long since it's last molt, since it has sharp toes. It's not soft, or deformed, or weak. It was strong enough to draw blood with it's feet trying to get away when I was taking pictures!

Unfortunately it was her husband who took the crab, and he didn't ask any questions, so we don't know if the crab has always been colorless, or if this was a new development, or what it had been eating. She knew for certain that it had been set up properly several years ago as she went over care with the woman and sold her everything she would have needed to do it right. If the woman comes back in she'll ask, but we're not sure we'll ever get an answer.


In daylight on the ride home, no flash.


Under normal florescent lights, with flash.


Under UVB light, with flash.

There isn't a stitch of color on it. Even it's antennas are practically translucent. My husband keeps saying it's albino, and I was blowing him off for a while, but when I googled albino crustacean, it really does look like an albino lobster.... https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress ... -8th-2012/

I'm going to keep it separated until it molts, just to be on the safe side. I've also got a UVB light on the tank for the heck of it. I guess we'll have to wait to see what happens, but he's seriously got me scratching my head! He's bizarre. The photos don't do him justice - he's sort of see-through and iridescent and the shade of blue (which I'm assuming is his blood!) of his antenna and underside are stunning.

[littletechcrab]

Wow very unique, you got beauty there no matter what his color is. Do you think he is PP?

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[Mr. Crabby Pants]

I do know albino lobster are a real thing, why not albino hermies?
Neat! Hope he does well with you, what a character!

[marandashermies]

oh how cool! I would name him ghost Seriously so cool though. Keep us posted on this little fella. Very interesting in deed! I Love those little E's that are white, but have yet to see a PP anywhere near this color. Congrats on the new guy, he is adorable

[landlubber]

I've never seen a PP that white either! I'll be very interested in seeing how he does in his next molt.....

[mool]

What a beauty! It looks healthy.

I wonder if the UV lighting will burn it?

[wodesorel]

Wow very unique, you got beauty there no matter what his color is. Do you think he is PP?

100%, it's in the eyes.

I wonder if the UV lighting will burn it?

As far as I've researched, their exoskeleton blocks UVB from penetrating, so while there could be eye damage, hermits should not be able to burn or utilize UVB at all. It was the only strip I had free, and I wanted to encourage him to eat and be as normal as possible. UVB brings out colors that we aren't able to see but lesser creatures like insects and crustaceans can.

[mool]

Thanks for explaining. That makes sense.

[Crabinski]

Looks a lot like my pale guy, Felix:

[wodesorel]

Calla mentioned you had one! What's his story??

[Crabinski]

Calla mentioned you had one! What's his story??

I've had Felix going on 8 years and he was a nice light salmon color when I bought him at PetSmart. Over the years, he paled down to a light pink, then pinkish-gray, then grayish-white, changing slightly with every molt. He's now a white-gray-very pale cream, depending on the light and the colors reflected from the plants he's near. He eats the same foods as the others but does not gain any color while his companions are richly colored (Mr Pinch is a deep salmon/orange, Charles Paris is purple and Big Enzo a dark mahogany). He's healthy, feisty, likes his pool soaks, digs, climbs like a madman and rules the tank so I don't worry about him. As KellyCrabbyLove says, Crabs are weird!

The picture posted above is the day he emerged from his last molt, January 25th. The one below showing him climbing is from February 13th and the one showing him walking away is from February 25th.

[rainbow_crab]

Wow Wode he is very handsome and so amazingly white! Would a true albino still have dark eyes in Crustaceans? Like in mammals they are only true albinos if they have pink eyes meaning they have no pigment. Aside from Crabinski s beautiful Felix I have seen another crab that was white like that, I think it was on the crab paradise forum (or maybe google images, it's been some time ago). It's so interesting, I'm wondering if my lavender crab will eventually go white. She has always been very light, and she seems to just get lighter as time passes. I've had her for 4 years. Like Felix my lavender lady is starting to have a light grey along with that ever so light lavender. What an interesting new crab Wode!

[Rawrgeous]

He's a handsome guy, . Nature always has some cool surprises!

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[Angizme]

I was talking to my friend who owns the pet shop, and she mentioned they took in a crab from one of their customers earlier in the day. They were pretty sure she'd had the crab for something like 5 or more years, and it was kept by itself. That made them pause a bit about putting it in their tank at the store for sale. What really made them worry was the color. She didn't know if it was nutritional, when I saw her photo I was thinking freshly molted. Anyway, I asked if she was hinting and she offered me the crab if I wanted it. Hubby set an ISO up for me and we went and got it.

What I can tell you, is that it wasn't freshly molted. It also hasn't been long since it's last molt, since it has sharp toes. It's not soft, or deformed, or weak. It was strong enough to draw blood with it's feet trying to get away when I was taking pictures!

Unfortunately it was her husband who took the crab, and he didn't ask any questions, so we don't know if the crab has always been colorless, or if this was a new development, or what it had been eating. She knew for certain that it had been set up properly several years ago as she went over care with the woman and sold her everything she would have needed to do it right. If the woman comes back in she'll ask, but we're not sure we'll ever get an answer.


In daylight on the ride home, no flash.


Under normal florescent lights, with flash.


Under UVB light, with flash.

There isn't a stitch of color on it. Even it's antennas are practically translucent. My husband keeps saying it's albino, and I was blowing him off for a while, but when I googled albino crustacean, it really does look like an albino lobster.... https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress ... -8th-2012/

I'm going to keep it separated until it molts, just to be on the safe side. I've also got a UVB light on the tank for the heck of it. I guess we'll have to wait to see what happens, but he's seriously got me scratching my head! He's bizarre. The photos don't do him justice - he's sort of see-through and iridescent and the shade of blue (which I'm assuming is his blood!) of his antenna and underside are stunning.

Could be an albino? Once you have it and feed plenty of color enhancers see if that changes the color

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[Angizme]

Could I share your pic with a friend that runs Crabstreet Journal?

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