Molting Spider Crabs!

The spider crabs are molting in the SoundWaters aquarium!

Spider crabs contain an exoskeleton that protects them from predators. As they grow, the exoskeleton becomes too tight and they have to molt.  This is when a spider crab climbs out of its hard exoskeleton and grows a larger one. Depending on the age of the crab, they can go 2 months- 3 years before having to molt again.

The picture contains a spider crab molt (left) and the spider crab post molt (right).

Fun Fact: Over the course of their lifetime spider crabs can molt up to twenty times!