Hermit crab digging

[DEL 707]

My red legged hermit crab has half buried himself in the sand overnight, this is the 2nd time I've caught him doing this.
Is this something they normally do?

Inhabitants in the tank are a yellow clown goby and a nassarius snail.
Could something be up with my snail?
I've not seen it since I added it just over a week ago, I do occasionally see it's snout sticking out. The last time was 2 days ago.

 

[MissMolly]

All of my hermit crabs do this occasionally. This or hide in the rock work for days. Most often when they molt. Do you offer a selection of shells?

 

[MossyFroggyLove]

I have electric blue hermit crabs and I have never seen them do this but one of my hermit crab always disappears behind the rock and appear at night.

 

[DEL 707]

All of my hermit crabs do this occasionally. This or hide in the rock work for days. Most often when they molt. Do you offer a selection of shells?

No, he's the only hermit crab I have, tank is still new.
Should I get him some shells?

 

[MissMolly]

No, he's the only hermit crab I have, tank is still new.
Should I get him some shells?

YES a wide selection. Most often they did not have any in the shop and will change Shell immediately when they have acces to some nice ones. Just buy some in dif sizes, they go slightly up in size everytime but sometimes they just like the shape of a same sized Shell ✌ Love these guys!!!

 

[MissMolly]

You can place them all in front and together and then yiu can watch him try them on!

 

[DEL 707]

Any idea where I can buy some?
I'm in the UK.

 

[MissMolly]

Amazon

 

[MissMolly]

Online fish stores

 

[MossyFroggyLove]

Yes, you should, and by should I mean must always keep a variety of shells in your tank. But looking back at the picture you showed, I think it is probably lonely. Like when I got my first hermit crab, he would dig a dent in the sand next to a rock and just be there forever. Yup, forever, so I had to target feed him with fish food using a pipet. But it was hard to that everyday so I got him another friend. Ever since, not once have seen him hiding like that

 

[MossyFroggyLove]

I also like to put in some random shells that are too small or too big for as an enrichment

 

[DEL 707]

Going to order some.
Should I be cleaning them in some sort of solution?

 

[MissMolly]

Going to order some.
Should I be cleaning them in some sort of solution?

no they are dry and therefore safe. just rinse with water

 

[MossyFroggyLove]

I didn't even rinse my shells with water and some of them I just collected from the beach near me.

 

[MossyFroggyLove]

But I did get a fireworm attack. Not sure if from the live rock or the corals I bought or the shells. I HAD a very beautiful reef tank. I mean for one that I did within 3 months. I lost a galaxia that was 3 inch wide and 4 inch long, I lost all of my sps except for one, I lost half of my gsp which was a frag at that time, a hermit crab, a sand sifting seastar and a sea urchin. Right I am going to do a dip for everything I might put in the tank.

 

[DEL 707]

Tried a random pack off Amazon and even the smallest out of the bunch looks too big.

Looked a few other places and no one really gives a sense of the size of the shell.

 

[MossyFroggyLove]

Try to ask the seller you bought the hermit from. Also sometimes the shell looks big but it might actually be perfect. I have two pics of the same shell which is actually perfect for a hermit crab that is an inch big.

 

[DEL 707]

I found a big bag of of assorted shells and a hobby & craft shop.
I put in 3 different sizes. He had a nose around but hasn't changed shells.

He's gone back to digging. I'm gonna leave the shells in there though, maybe he'll change his mind.

 

[MossyFroggyLove]

Did you get him a new friend. One hermit crab per 30 litres of water. If your tank is smaller it is ok , just buy one more.

 

[DEL 707]

Tanks 56l and only just over 3 weeks old.
I was going to wait a little longer before adding more CUC.