my crawfish shed last night

it must be getting all the food it needs. my wife was all upset she thought one of our sunfish killed it.
at night I've been adding frozen shrimp in hope they would eat it and wafers.
I still am unable to id this crawfish I will try to get some pics of it out of the tank.

thanks tony.

Leave the moult in the tank. The crayfish will recycle it by eating it.

Leave the moult in the tank. The crayfish will recycle it by eating it.

To late its gone to trash heaven.
i dint even think about it may have been a good source of calcium

i dint even think about it may have been a good source of calcium

Exactly. Oh, well, there's always next time.

The exoskeleton is not as important as an immediate source of calcium as the gastroliths. The crayfish also likely can get more calcium across gills from water than what is left over from previous exoskeleton a.k.a. exuvium. They scavenge most of exoskeleton calcium prior to ecdysis / molting / shedding and sequester in gastroliths which are immediately dissolved after the molt to add calcium to the new exoskeleton.

The exoskeleton is not as important as an immediate source of calcium as the gastroliths. The crayfish also likely can get more calcium across gills from water than what is left over from previous exoskeleton a.k.a. exuvium. They scavenge most of exoskeleton calcium prior to ecdysis / molting / shedding and sequester in gastroliths which are immediately dissolved after the molt to add calcium to the new exoskeleton.

That's so cool! I didn't know that.

The exoskeleton is not as important as an immediate source of calcium as the gastroliths. The crayfish also likely can get more calcium across gills from water than what is left over from previous exoskeleton a.k.a. exuvium. They scavenge most of exoskeleton calcium prior to ecdysis / molting / shedding and sequester in gastroliths which are immediately dissolved after the molt to add calcium to the new exoskeleton.

centrarchid, thanks for the info.
i will spend the next few days crawling the web trying to understand some of your reply.
this is why i like this board feed me more.

The exuvium has value as a source of protein and nitrogen containing sugars (glucosamine within the chitin) that can be used as energy and material for subsequent growth.

The exuvium has value as a source of protein and nitrogen containing sugars (glucosamine within the chitin) that can be used as energy and material for subsequent growth.

That must be why it gets eaten so eagerly.