Allowing the crustaceans into the house

[bnorthup]

When I got home last night and looked at Mr. Basket Case's nub, it had doubled in size from the day before. Here... see for yourself:

[jeff l]

Any red line signs?

[bnorthup]

I don't know how to tell that. I haven't learned that skill yet....   Everyone on this forum says that a crab getting near molt will not eat. My 3 crabs are eating worms like piranhas......  Basket case too, he can eat 4 worms and still be looking for more.

[tattoo]

looken good. 

[jeff l]

Bill, how is BC doing?

[tattoo]

How are your crabs doing. ??

[bnorthup]

They seem to continue to be very healthy. I have an aquarium heater in the tank and I noticed that they seem to like to stay near it. It had been keeping the tank at 72 degrees. I turned the thermostat up slightly warmer......  I am looking for the white or red line on the swimfins. I want one of them to shed soon.....  I might be able to get some closeup pics of the swimfin.....  The thing that confuses me is that EVERY crab I have ever seen has a red outline around his swimfin....  I assume we are looking for a second redline.....  Once I see it I will catch on to what to look for.

[jeff l]

You will

[tattoo]

Glad to hear they are doing good. keep us posted.

[bnorthup]

I think I am beginning to see signs that the 3 captives (Basket Case included) are beginning to become peelers. I think they are now what you would call "white liners". I see changes in the translucent qualities of the swimfins. A white line is forming INSIDE the normal reddish-brown border of the swimfin.....   Also Mr. Basket Case's new claws are now about 1/2" and they stick out from his body........  I turned the water temperature up to 82 degrees and I am having problems with the water becoming cloudy much more often than when I kept it at 72 degrees.

[R D]

Why did you turn it up,a little more and you will have cooked crabs

[bnorthup]

I thought that 82 degrees was the optimum temp to encourage molting....  Should I turn it back down?
I had noticed that when it was set at 72 degrees, the crabs tended to congregate near the heater as if they wanted it warmer.....   Now they tend to get as far away from it as they can.....   Maybe they would like it slightly lower at about 77 degrees.
    In your experience, RD, what temperature of the water seemed to give the best results?

[jeff l]

 I read if its to hot the water will have less oxygen

[R D]

Try to keep it around 76 or 77, for this time of yr 72 will work fine, I try not to let mine get abouve 80 even in the summer

[tattoo]

HOW is the shed going

[bnorthup]

There are some good things and some bad things.....   It turns out that the water gets too stinky for the house after about 1 week. This is even with changing the filter everyday. I did lower the temp of the water to about 72 again. I am feeding them live worms everyday. This clouds the water. I separated basket case from the other 2 crabs. Then one day when I was dropping the FIRST worm into the "arena" the 2 eager crabs accidently locked up. One manages to get a claw tip into the eye socket of the other.....  Needless to say, that eye is now messed up.  This may not have been on purpose. These guys can not see very well at ALL. They just go totally crazy when they think some prey animal/food is trying to get away.....   They have signs of white lines on the swim fins....   If they do molt, I think I will just fry them up.....  I have great plans for floating cages out back for this summer.

[tattoo]

Don't tell me you are going to eat your pets,  especially after they have names and all. 

[jeff l]

ditch the other crabs and keep BC, I think he will molt soon.

[bnorthup]

Compared to the other crabs BC does have the strongest white-line markings on the swimfin.....  We are planning a photo session this weekend because of my daughter's college project involving limb regeneration. Basket Case's new claws are about 3/4" and they are beginning to be very clearly defined but the new claws do not yet move about the elbow portion. That part is still grown together. I often see him rubbing and cleaning them with his other legs.......  I will post some of these photos......   You know, this silly crustacean is growing nerves down in that new claw. In some ways he is superior to us.

[tattoo]

nice , thanks for the up date.

[bnorthup]

Look how Basket Case's claw has changed now... and that was from 3 days ago. It's getting more defined everyday. Also, I have noticed slight changes in his behavior. He doesn't seem to make any unnecessary movements now and he doesn't seem as hungry although he will still move very fast to scarf down a live worm. He is a very defined white liner but no sign of any pink yet.

[R D]

Whats with the gloves? 

[captaincrab55]

Whats with the gloves? 

R D,  Looks like a diseased crab..

[jeff l]

Bill can you take a close up of his fin?

[bnorthup]

Here is a picture of Basket's back fin as of today. 2-19-07.