hermit crab molt or carcass?

totion · May 27, 2013

while doing my daily tank inspection i came across two hermit crab molts/carcasses. not sure which. i can not find the empty shells that they used to inhabit so i am hoping they are just molts. i broke open the claw of one and it was hollow inside, but i've never found an intact whole body molt before...

Mr. E Wrasse · May 27, 2013

Most likely a molt! Especially if you found 2. Unless it had tissue.on the inside that usually hangs out of the back of the head then you should be fine!

totion · May 27, 2013

one had tissue but the one pictured looked just like that in the tank. usually i find pieces from a molt not the whole thing intact. hopefully ill see him in a few days, the electric blue knuckle is my favorite hermit

Squishie89 · May 27, 2013

Aw blue knucle hermit <3 I had one and I think my pistol shrimp lured him into his burrow and ate him. Most likely molt.

totion · Jun 4, 2013

i had just about given up and was ready to say he was gone when the lights tunred on today and there he was, in the same shell and doing his thing. then i fed my brain coral and he tried to climb on it. so i moved him to the top of the rocks. glad he is not dead though.

Squishie89 · Jun 4, 2013

Yay! So glad he is alright. It is a love/hate thing for me with molts. I love that they are growing and healthy and I get to get souveneirs :3, but I hate that I don't know if they are okay for a few days.