Scarlet Hermit Crab Problem

[Shaner]

Last week I added more scarlet hermit crabs to my existing system, and in the last day or so I am finding body parts from all of my scarlet hermit crabs - even some whole bodies dragged out of their shells. Any idea on whats going on?

My reef tank has a variety of critters like blue legs, red legs, snails, assorted crabs that hitched in with the rock, etc but everything has been in harmony. My parameters are all normal, my alk and cal are a bit high but thats it.

Thanks

 

[CLAY CRUDEN]

Sounds like you Hitchers had a very oportunistic meal. Any of your old crabs (that you can tell) have nice new shells? They will rip each other out to get a better home.
Good luck

 

[Anonymous]

Could be - though I kinda doubt it - that your hermits molted. Watch at night to see if the scarlet hermits are still alive.

 

[SteveP]

I'm with Moe. I'd say they molted. I thought my scarlet hermits had died the first time they molted. The cast off shell retains the right red color for several days.

Steve
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[Anonymous]

Molted. It usually comes off in one big piece and looks like a dead crab, but sometimes you'll find bits and pieces.

 

[CLAY CRUDEN]

I left molting out cause they already have crabs and would have seen molted shells before. Therefore I take it to mean there are murderous ones about...

 

[blownalcohol]

They probably have molted. I added 7 scarlets to my 180g tank, and a few days later I saw what looked like dead crabs. I looked around and found all 7 eating on the LR. Then I realized they just molted. I think this happens with most shrimp and crabs when adding to a new (different) tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Speaking of molting:
Has the arguemnt about iodide ever been solved? It's kind of the old "chicken & the egg" thing. Is iodide a signal crabs to molt? Or do the crabs molt because they finally have some iodide to build a new shell?
Anyone know the final answer?