Emergency Moult Question

[Foxydiva3]

This has never happend to me before in all my crabbing but I thought I would ask if any one here had this happen to them. One of my Straws Ruby went down for a moult about a month ago. Today I Come home to find that two of my other straw crabs Are in a large hole fiddling around with a shell, One Has changed out of his shell into Ruby's shell While he is down moulting. Weirdly they have no interest in Ruby just his shell He is in moult status not dead but now doesn't have a shell to go back into and recover in! What am I To Do now that Jelly bean is running around with Ruby's Shell which is 3 sizes to big for him? Its the oddest thing ever if he changes back I will put Ruby's shell back around him, I just don't want him trying to come back up to surface Naked. I have plenty of shells for these crabs to change in, The sand is very deep to moult in So this is very odd to me, Any Ideas?
LOL
C

[Foxydiva3]

Update. An Hour or two has passed and Once again now I have three straws around Ruby and once again a huge hole where he is moulting. Ruby has gone into his replacement shell and now it coming back up. He is hard so I guess he was mostly done but his exo skelton has not been eaten so I am still unsure why they keep wanting him to come up he doesn't smell fishy but I think he is one mad crab for having his shell stolen and being interupted. Maybe he is well liked and all his buddies missed him? He's a straw and Only the straws are doing this behavior. I have Ees and PP in the tank as well but they could care less and aren't involved in the weirdness!Should I Throw his Exco in the food dish? I dont wnat to ISo him because The tanks conditions are perfect and I dont want to shock him since he has just got done with this moult.

[emmac350]

You should isolate him from all the other crabs. If you have a piece of plexiglass that will fit, you can try pushing that all the way into the sand so no one can go over, under, or around it and give both sides food and water bowls.

Ruby may have been coming up on his own and dropped his shell as he was too weak to bring it up. This does happen sometimes. However, if the other guys were all crowded around, it seems more likely that they were going to take advantage of both the dropped shell and the exoskeleton. Isolate Ruby and hope that he does okay despite his disturbance. Oh, and make sure the exo is with him, and don't give even a little bit to the other crabs. He'll need the nutrition.

[ladybug15057]

I agree the molted straw needs iso'ed for his own protection. The others may not of disturbed/harmed him yet but no reason to take the chance. Also the molter knows how vulnerable he is at this point and no need to stress him any further than he already is.

[Foxydiva3]

Ruby Is fie ow ad could care less at this poit about his episode however, Jelly bean the crab who stole ruby's shell is havig issues. All the straws in he tak are costantly chasing him around pinning him down trying to get him out of this shell. What is it about this shell? They all are 3 sizes to small for this shell. Jellybean looks like a tiny crab in it. I have dipped him ad the all of them in a slat bath in case it was smell, but that hasn't worked. this has got to be the weirdest thing. I have had several moults never with this kind of thing. Wierd the Straws have gone nuts!

[emmac350]

Do you have any other shells of that shape? If not, try taking out all of their spare shells and boil them so they smell 'new.' Leave some water in the mouth so they will want to try them on. Crabs seem to forget that shells are in there after they've gotten used to the smell, so switching it up can help in those situations.

[Foxydiva3]

Yes , I have lots of the same types of shells in differnt sizes. My tank is a large community, And most love turbos. Thats what this one is, its just weird that all of the sudden after 2 years of being in the tank they all want this shell weather it fits them or not. I soaked the crab that went in the shell thinking maybe some of the moulter Ruby's sent was on it but they all still want it. All my shells are in a large plastic shower cadddy that they can climb and change when ever. One a week I clean and rinse out the whole shack with salt water due to all the sand that gets in there through the week. Its just odd since I have had so many moults never with this result. It must have been one heck of a moult or that must be one heck of a shell! LOL

[CrabbyJo]

I'd do as Marie suggests and boil the "old" shells and place them around in the tat, that might distract the other crabs from harassing the one who has the shell they want.
I'd be a little worried that he'd end up hurt when you aren't there to monitor what's going on!