OMG red mithrax molt = 2x larger?!

[Sub]

Use the arm joint/knuckle for reference.. The thing molted and now its freaking huge. the pictures dont really convey it.. I'd say its at least 2x larger.

 

the molt is above (no its not alive, I moved it around for pics), mithrax below, behind the gorgonian.

 

 

 

 

Is this normal? He has been eating like mad.. I have a new tank setup with lots of macro'ed live rock.

 

[AnthemForLiving]

Those gorgorians make me jealous.

[hooligan_78]

Yes it's normal. The more they eat; the more they grow. I would be more worried about water quality trying to keep those gorgs fed properly.

[altolamprologus]

Crabs will puff up while they're still soft just after molting so the new shell is much bigger than the old one. It gives them more room to grow so they don't have to molt as often

[Sub]

Ahh, I see.

 

I've kept gorg for months in my other tanks.. I dose Dt's. I'm a little worried about the reds, they seem ok, but hardly ever open.

[Rollermonkey]

Zombie bump, but I was looking to see if my emerald was unusual.

 

It's molted twice, and it's enormous. Definitely larger than wikipedia's max size of 1.6" and very close to LiveAquaria's max size of 2.5"...

 

The arm span when it spreads the chelae is about 4-4.5"

 

Yikes.

[Kijho]

My tiger shrimp just molted the other day - he looks a bit bigger actually and a lot more vibrant. He's been burrowed away for past few days and coming out for a few bits of food that he scavenged...

[swduncan]

I've got an emerald crab that did the same thing. Puny one day, Arnold Crabanegger the next, with huge claws. Hasn't gotten more aggressive though.