Topic: Molting process for inverts

[bulrush]

With ghost or red cherry shrimp their shell gets a little white before molting. They look sick but this is normal.

Now the following I have personally seen. Crayfish molt by laying on their side and slowly scooting out of their shells. They feel like rubber and are very slippery right after they molt.

RCS molt by bending into an upside-down "U" shape, then jumping out of their shells. It's so fast, first the shrimp is there, then *BAM*, you see an empty shell.

For bamboo shrimp I'm not real sure. I just end up finding a perfect shell the next morning, cracked open at the top of the thorax.
The detail is astounding and many newbies will think they found a dead shrimp.

Shrimp and crayfish will often eat their shells to recover the calcium. If they don't eat them within 7 days I remove the shells from the tank. But you should leave the shells in there to give them a chance to get the calcium back.

Shrimp and crayfish, because they are so soft after molting, are very vulnerable to attack so that's why it's critical that they have a hiding place. It takes 4-8 hours for a 5 inch crayfish to harden up after a molt. Smaller creatures may take less time.

[Koop]

So i guess crabs chill together at night? Maybe they are bored or looking for a mate. I found remains of a hermit crab, and i am not sure if it is a molter or if there was a crab battle.

Bored ppl go here for a greta crab battle on you tube,this is hilarious!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mHKHKR8x6A

[attachment deleted by mean old server people]

[Aiptasia]

Probably just a molt unless you find an empty snail shell. Hermies have been known to try and pull out other hermit crabs from their shells to claim a new shell for themselves. The loser of the battle typically has to claim the old shell of the victor.

[Burntwave]

WOw, didn't know the loser had to wear the shell of the victor!  I just thought the loser would retreat ot any different shell, or maybe its old one until it has an opportuity for a new one again.

This is cool!

[Barcode711]

I think fan shrimp in general moult like the Bamboo shrimp you listed.
Last week, my red vampire shrimp went into hiding and looked sick. A few days ago I found a perfect shell - antennae included, and his colour - and he was still hiding. It was uncanny -but you can tell it is not the shrimp because the shell is not completely filled with opaque pink. Also, expect to find the shrimp stumble or move slowly for the next few days.
Thanks for the guide - recalling it from memory helped me realize what the shrimp would look like.