dumb quesion about hermit crabs

[fish-a-phile]

I looked at my tank this morning and found a hermit crab carcus wedged between the glass and a small rock. There is no sign of his shell. Is that what happens when they molt or did someone just beat him up and take his shell. The only things I have in the tank are hermits and snails.

Thanks, happy Holidays

 

[taikonaut]

Hermit do kill off each others, but more likely than not, what you see is just a molt.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree. I've always found it difficult to distinguish a molt from a dead hermit....they look the same to me.

Chris

 

[fish-a-phile]

Thanks a lot for the quick replies! That's what I was hoping it was because I didn't see an empty shell in the tank

 

[Anonymous]

With hermits it's generally a good idea to keep some empty shells in the tank around the size(s) they'll be growing into.

This usually helps to keep them from becoming overly agressive with snails in finding new "homes"..... (That and it's kinda fun watching them "shop" too...)

 

[Dubge]

I just had a hermit change shells (to the size of a small kiwi) he then molted a few days after and I thought he had died so I removed it and then he popped out of the shell the next day! You can tell this shell is big for him because he has some trouble moving around with it

Ray

 

[ccny]

can you just buy any old shell? i'm not sure they're sold at my lfs.

 

[Dubge]

Now I could be wrong but couldn't one just go to the beach and pick up a bunch of shells and clean them (maybe boil) and put them in the tank? If you can do that then all you will need to do ccny is make a trip to the beach

Ray

 

[Anonymous]

No, most hermies are reliant upon certain shell shapes. This is not to say that they are "married", as it were, to a specific species (though IIRC some are), but because of their own body shapes they have particular needs. Also, variety of sizes is important.

 

[Anonymous]

what i did was go to my local crafts store and bought a variety of shells and dumped them in the tank after sterilizing. much cheaper than the specialty stores.

 

[c0yote]

A few years back when my tank was new I found a bunch of little shells in a basket at a 99 cent store. As I recall, none of the shells were ever occupied (too different from the hermit's usual shells). So, next time at the LFS I asked for some extra shells (they had a bunch at the bottom of some of their invert tanks).

 

[Anonymous]

good shells can be safely boiled, meaning they are safe from the beach after a good boil.

If you get a variety of shapes, they'll pick their favorite. I feel like my reds like spiral and conch like shells, while my blues like turbo snail shaped shells.

 

[Anonymous]

My LFS has plenty of shells but for that price I just get more hermits of different sizes and let them fight over property. :lol:

 

[taikonaut]

>... I just get more hermits of different sizes and let them fight over property.
Sonny, just because you can't find a good source for the shell (see some of the replies above) does not mean you want others to know about your abusive "God" ability.

 

[Anonymous]

Hey....you keep things in a cramped glass cage too. Don't you? Is that abusive? Lighten up Boy!

 

[taikonaut]

Sonny, I am not going into any philosophical issue with this, since pot and kettle are black to some extent. However, there are certain behavior that many of us do not want to express explicitly in a forum like this, and I wish you exercise the same rationale when you post in any forum that is not off-topic one.

I agree with you that I need to lighten up a bit, and take you post as if it is meant to be of humorous nature. There!

 

[Anonymous]

If you get a variety of shapes, they'll pick their favorite. I feel like my reds like spiral and conch like shells, while my blues like turbo snail shaped shells.

My blues have slowly switched from nassarius shells to astrea shells as they've grown. I suspect I'll need to find some larger shells for them soon, but then again, I'm not sure I want them all that comfortable AND that big.... (Being blues......)