Karelinii larvae almost lunch

[meghan]

Poor guy!!! I had to separate this one from one other larvae (same size) because of the damage the other did to him. I have this one in a container with a built in ledge and the water level just above it. All of it's gills are chewed off and it's tail is half gone. I'm all stressed out! Hard work raising these guys only to have this happen. Will it recover?

 

[paris]

yeah it will be fine-but its growth will be slowed since it will now have to use growing energy to repair its body instead-it looks near morphing anyways so the gills being chewed means it will probably rely more on its lungs now anyways.

 

[jennifer]

I agree. If it's still alive a couple of days after the "attack", it'll be OK. This species is bad about removing each others' body parts, but I've never seen one die from it.

 

[meghan]

Well, i did have one recently get so munched on it was dead by the time i found it. that's why i had to separate them back into their cups.

 

[meghan]

Today it's looking like skin is peeling away from around the front legs and sides... ??

 

[jennifer]

At this age, they do start to shed their skin, so it may be a normal shed. If it's coming off in many tiny pieces or multiple layers are coming off, then it's abnormal.