wit should enjoy this (crab related)

[Charlie97L]

well, someone was very bad last night... i woke up and the legs of one of my scarlet hermit crabs are sitting on one of the rocks. out in plain sight, with a bit of crab still on them.

it's almost like a message to the rest of the crabs... "big brother is watching"

my guess is the margarita snails paid off the banded shrimp to take him out as an example.

anyway, who is the most likely culprit? it's like reef clue.

[dragonladylea]

I never trust a Wrasse with a shrimp or a crab. Not after seeing mine make like Jaws and thrash the heck out of my crabs.

[Charlie97L]

yeah... i was going to get rid of the hermits anyway... haha. i think my banded is safe, it's sooo much bigger than the wrasse.

[Witfull]

CBS can be lil evil things, cousins to crabs,,,lol.

since the crime scene is isolated and contained, i think we can rule out the wrasse, he would have tossed the crab all over trying to get him out of the shell. the cardinal is mostlikely a witness but wont speak due to fear and intimidation.

this is an open and closed case~

[dragonladylea]

Thats what I thought about my big blue reef crab until the Wrasse grabbed it by the leg and smashed it against a rock. Needless to say I don't have either anymore. Someone else got the killer and the crab is in crab heaven.

[Charlie97L]

hahha... well i'm not going to rule anything out, as i haven't found the shell yet. just those legs. hahahah. oh well. i just don't want anything to eat my banded shrimp. he's cool. i hear they can be pests though.

[Witfull]

as i haven't found the shell yet

another crab is prolly wearing it~

[Woodstock]

I put the blame on the CBS... How big is your 6-line?

Wow.. you guys have me concerned with my 6-line now ... I hope my crabs and shrimp will be safe!

[dragonladylea]

I think it just depends on the six-line, last time I was in my LFS I made a comment about how pretty they are while talking to the owner and he stated that the one we were looking at had been brought back 3 times already and wasnt being sold to anyone with inverts.

[Charlie97L]

my sixline is about 2" maybe.. it was def him... there is debris back where he hangs out... i'm not worried... he's too small to go after my CBS, which is huge, at least i think he's too small. i doubt he'd go for the snails either. dunno... if he gets the other crab, oh well. i was gonna ditch em anyway.

[apjunky]

Are you sure the crab didnt just molt ?

[Charlie97L]

no but seeing as there are pieces of crab at all corners of the tank, and i can't find him or the shell, i'm inclined to think that he's dead. does meaty looking stuff hang off the legs and things when they molt?

[jwaynet]

Just what I was going to say too!
Your description sounds just like a moult - complete set of legs with a bit of crab attached.
I was caught out by this (despite knowing that they moult)
It's not like a shrimp moult where you can see that it's an empty 'shell', it really looks like a dead, half-eaten crab.
I remember picking up the crab's shell and having a look inside - nothing.
Tossed it back in the tank and a (probably dazed!) hermit stuck his head out!

Best Wishes,

Jeff

[reefjitsu]

It sounds like a molt to me too. Hermits will often hide while their new "skin" hardens. Since you can't find the shell, I bet the hermit is wedged into some crevice waiting until it feels safe to come out again.

[Charlie97L]

well that would be great! i'd hate to think my wrasse is a cold killer.

edit" here's a pic... is that too much meat to hope for survival? i think i see an eyestalk too.


NEWS FLASH! The fugitive hereabouts known as "6line"... wanted for questioning in the disappearance of Mr. Joe "Scarlet" Crab. Mr. Crab is also wanted on multiple counts of harassment of snails. "6line" should be considered finned and dangerous. Any fish matching the description below should be reported to the reefkeeper immediately. Last seen entering a cave in the back corner of the aquarium.