Blue Hermit Crab keep stuck in rocks?

Gabbone · Jan 30, 2024

Hi All,

I just got yesterday night two blue hermit crabs for my tank.

One is doing absolutely fine. Moving around, being curious, digging, climbing.

The other is acting a bit weird. Not very active, he is often inside his shell, and he seems going into rocks and getting stuck in some small holes all the time. Every time I pick him up I put him back on the sand or on the top of the rocks, he moves again into small holes and gets stuck.

Is that normal? Should I just leave him? What should I do?

Thank you!

Mr. Mojo Rising · Jan 30, 2024

I know its hard to keep the eyes and fingers away from a new tank, but its likely fine, I would leave it alone.

Dipi · Jan 30, 2024

Hello!
I'm no expert, but I would say it is not getting stuck. I have one in my tank that for about a week would climb my birdnest SPS and perch at the highest point. Often I assumed it was stuck between the branches, because it had a rather large shell. Everytime I took it out and placed it in the sand and it always went back. Watching it climb my SPS I saw how resourceful they are climbing and moving throughout the tank. After a while it stopped climbing and now act normal and I did find a molt at the base of the bidnest.
So my guess is that it is preparing to molt and looking for places to hide and will act normal after doing so, and very unlikely to be getting stuck