emerald crab

I heve an emerald crab that has turned upside down and its belly flap is open with an orangish color and it looks like it is full of eggs. Do they just lay eggs that would not be furtile or do they carry the eggs until they hatch. If this is what it is how do I care for them and her at this stage and how long soed it take to hatch out the eggs? She has been on her back now for 4 or 5 days. am worried that it might be something wrong, but it looks like she is fluffing and pruning her belly. Some one please help?
Thanks
Diane

 

If the crab has been on its back for that long, it's most likely dead.

 

Or it has molted!!!!!!!!!!!
Welcome to 3reef!!!!!
Best of luck with your tank and post some pictures!

 

CR - do emerald crabs molt??? I had one for a good number of years & never had it molt - got really hairy but never a molt?

 

Yes they do...it is their means of growing like shrimp!

 

If it's full of eggs, I'm thinking dead over molting. A picture sure would help though

 

All animals with an exoskeleton molt otherwise they couldn't grow. If it's upside down I would guess dead as well and yes the orange is probably eggs which even if hatched would probably not amount to anything other than food for the tank.

If it's sitting there and actually fanning the mass, then it's probably still alive, but on it's back in the open is not a natural position for an emerald crab.

Good luck.