Molted shells

So this is probobly a very silly question. My Sally lightfoot just molted; Do i take the shell out or let everything else take care of it?

 

thanks to the 3 people who gave me input

 

I leave them in.

 

I do both. It's a matter of personal preference and what your bio load is

Jim

 

I just leave them in myself I hate to put my hands in any tank for any reason. The less the occupants are disturbed the better hey do I think..

 

I have to agree with you Tangster, as with myself so goes my fish, the less stress the better.

 

Leave it in there as it will be food for other living organisms in your tank!!! Contains beneficial nutrients!!!!

 

Usually after an invert molts they will eat the molt to get some of the calcium back in their bodies. Doesn't always workout that way though.
Either way, leave it. It won't tax your bio load.

 

I agree with JustPhish. The carapace has little protein on it, so it doesn't break down into ammonia and other nitrogen compounds to foul your tank. My Arrow Crab almost always finds and eats the leftover molted carapices.

 

However, my large Banded Coral Shrimp recently lost a claw. I took the claw out, since it would have the muscle tissue inside.