Emerald crab turned Albino?

[Liz]

Last week I noticed two of my three Emerald crabs turned WHITE! Then one of the WHITE ones started giving off eggs, :Yikes: ! All of the eggs ended up as food for everything else in the tank but why do these crabs turn color? Here is a shot of my emerald soldier and the turncoat white crab, Can anyone explain this mystery?

 

[Deanos]

I'd guess the 'stress' of laying eggs depleted the crab of some of its coloration.

 

[jhale]

here's another toal guess.
they might be green for camoflauge in the algae they eat in the wild. it looks like it's laying eggs in the sand, maybe they loose color then to blend in with the sand.