how often do your shrimp or crabs molt?

[salvini55]

I have two cleaner shrimp that have shead their molt twice in a month and a porceline crab that just molted. This seems like a bit much to me..?

[mikerobart]

Almost seems random. I think have gotten twice a month but my cleaner shrimp is closer to once a month or so. Then again, I don't always see it maybe. I usually only know when I see it sucked into the powerhead, and then he climbs up on a rock looking as bright and proud as ever. 

[Rybren]

My coral banded shrimp molts about once every 6 weeks or so.  I've had my peppermint for about 2 months and haven't noticed it molting yet.

I've got about 15 or so hermits, they seem to molt fairly regularly, but it's hard to say how often.  Last week, there was one wandering around the tank for an hour or so with no shell, it was pretty cool looking.

[Hookup]

4-6 weeks for me 2... increased iodine helps... i think it makes them harden up faster.

[salvini55]

Interesting that you say that Tim. I read that iodine speeds the molting process and shortens life expectancy. Although faster healing sounds beneficial. I guess its a catch 22.

Who removes the molt from the tank? I just leave mine in.

[Rybren]

I've read (can't remember where) that the molt should be left in (can't remember why - I must be getting old).  Having said that, I always remove it.

[PMurphy]

My blood shrimp seems to molt every two weeks. I've pulled three or four red exoskeletons from my tank for just the one molt for my arrow and porcelain crabs.

[mikerobart]

I leave the molt. I'm sure something munches on it or the calcium and carbonate / trace elements will return to the system.

[Vincenzo.]

what kind of salt are you using? I found the more expensive they molt more frequent.

[Hookup]

I leave em in the tank also... i figured it was beneficial to the shrimp to eat it themselves... likely they do that in the wild as a way of covering their tracks...   (now there's a stretch of my own logic... I know some animals eat the afterbirth so that preditors do not get onto the blood trail... etc...   Just figured similar for shrimp)

[salvini55]

Im using instant ocean salt. not the reef chrystals though.

[Vincenzo.]

i have Tropic, and it's great. after a few water changes everything just started to grow rapid. and the color is brighter.

[10gnano]

I didnt think hermit crabs molted. although mine dont seem to last very long

[PMurphy]

scarlet hermits seem to molt every ten minutes. When my hermits molt they wedge themselves against a rock to they feel safe. they usually stay there a day or so then move on.

The way I see it, the more they molt the larger and more healthy they are.

[salvini55]

I was trying to figure out if motling is accelerated in higher temps, but my search found nothing. No big deal really, I just assumed that frequent molts meat poor water quality. It seems there are too many factors to be certain.