How to tell that a stomatopod is ready to molt.

[Gonodactylus]

Aside from a stomatopod not feeding, digging and showing increased aggression when approaching a molt, there are physical signs that can signal that the animal is preparing for ecdysis. This female turnatensis will molt is a day or two. Note the thin lines that bisect thoracic plates 6 and 7. When the animal is getting ready to molt, these suture lines weaken so when the molt starts, the plates break in two allowing the exit its old cuticle. If you see these lines form, molting is usually just a day or two away.

Roy

[Martini5788]

Can someone sticky this? Thanks dr. Roy!

[EI Gringo]

I'm amazed that you got a shot of a ternatensis before a molt, mine barely leaves it's cavity at all :L

[icewater]

Is it normal for a G. Chiragra to be enclosed, both openings to pvc blocked by rocks, in his cave for a week now?

[nmotz]

Is it normal for a G. Chiragra to be enclosed, both openings to pvc blocked by rocks, in his cave for a week now?

G. Chiragra's normally take slightly longer to finish their molt than other species (I think this is mentioned in one of the stickies). Mine was incapacitated for just over a week. When he did finally open up his burrow, he came out swinging, knocking out every snail he could find.

[Calappidae]

The method I found out myself, is that the eyes also tend to get similar white spots in them (calcifaction I think it's called). I remember when I had my first O. scyllarus, these spots showed up concerning me.. and days later he molted.

I don't want to confirm this as reliable until somebody else can back it up.

[EI Gringo]

Have witnessed many molts and never noticed that Joe

[icewater]

G. Chiragra's normally take slightly longer to finish their molt than other species (I think this is mentioned in one of the stickies). Mine was incapacitated for just over a week. When he did finally open up his burrow, he came out swinging, knocking out every snail he could find.

Ah that is good to know. I am probably just a bit too worried because of what I have read about how easily shrimp can die during molting.

[Gonodactylus]

This is what greeted me just a couple of hours after molting - a very fiesty G t bluffing with her meanest face.

Roy

[TundraGuy]

Good post Doc

[icewater]

He is alive!! He was enclosed for 10 days in his pvc cave.