Red hermit looks sad

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Colin Tayler

Member
Hi I had my clean up crew in a new tank from 4 weeks and its now 2 weeks later and one hermit is dead and the other one hasnt moved in 2-3 days - he is still alive because he has extended / retracted his claws and his "jaws" are moving but he has just been sitting in a little shelf.

I guess there is nothing I can do to help him but I am also worried why both of the hermits seems to have had a hard time. They were active to begin with but after a week or 10 days they went reclusive.

Interestingly the larger one (which is the one that is still alive, just) traded up for a larger shell (I put a few in the tank when I got them) and teh smaller one then took over the larger one's old shell a few days later. That was about a week ago.

I am testing for ammonia, nitrites, pH, nitrates and all levels are normal (0,0,8.2,10) so what could be causing this because I dont want to get a couple more hermits and they also die.

Any ideas?

Col
 
Mike Johnson

Mike Johnson

Well-Known Member
The hermit might have just shed. They will be inactive for awhile until they harden up a little, then they'll eat like they're starved. One possibility and would explain changing shells.
 
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Colin Tayler

Member
Hi, when you say just "shed", I am aware they change their shells but are you saying that they shed the outside of their bodies also?
We are keeping a close eye on him anyway - we also noticed that the other one is still alive but not moving also - we thought he was dead because we noticed one of his legs below where he is hiding out, is this consistent with shedding also?
Thanks for your help
Col
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Yes, they shed also called molting. All crabs (hermits included) and shrimp molt their exoskeleton when they grow larger. The new exoskeleton is soft for a few days right after they molt. Most stay in hiding or quiet until the exoskeleton hardens. Yes, the molt that is left behind can look like a dead crab, here a pic of a molt from my coral crab. It looks like a dead crab, but it is the outer skeleton.

 
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Colin Tayler

Member
Thanks for the advice, we were worried because these are the first crabs we ever had and they were pretty active for the first week roaming around the tank but then they have just sat in one place for 3-4 days now. Given thay have both switched shells since we had them and they sit around anyway we are much happier that we havent done something wrong.

Will keep you posted!

Col
 
yorkieUK

yorkieUK

Member
PREMIUM
Just to help allay your fears, some of my crabs molt every couple of months & my Red Blood Shrimp molts every couple of weeks. Every time they molt, their colours are even more vivid than the time before.
Wayne.

P5140007_zpsb947a229.jpg
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
What a life, just sitting or swimming around all day long :invisible

Any update on the crab? If you want get its attn, place a piece of food on the end of a wooden skewer (skewers like what you use on BBQs, the type you can buy at the grocery store) and put the food in front of the crab. It should notice it and go for it. A little extra food won't hurt it and might perk it up a little.
 
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Colin Tayler

Member
Update is that as suspected by you all, they had both molted, not sure how often they will do this but in the first 3 weeks they had both changed shells and molted. They were just doing their hiding bit after molting and they are now back to running round the tank eating the algae like it was going out of fashion!

Thanks for the advice, as usual LFS was no help but who need them when I can come on here.

Col
 
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