Is this a cannibalized hermit crab

[accidental_reefer]

So it either looks like a decapitated head of something flowery or the claws of a blue hermit crab. It just appeared out of nowhere tonight. It’s a coral only tank with only live rock, snails, and blue hermit crabs (and brittle star fish I’ve seen twice in a month). And this thing was found below a rack of a Duncan, blasto, and Pavona so can’t be a piece of that. Only blasto has red coloration. And the rest of tank is almost all encrusting LPS and SPS. All invertebrates accounted for except one blue hermit crab, which is standard since they generally disappear in the evening. And it’s the largest of all of them so I doubt any one of them could take it down. The thing has been motionless though the flow appears to have moved it a little bit over a few hours. Any idea what this is? Thank you! (The clearest photos I could get were the ones in blue light.)

 

[Everclear]

It might be that the crab has molted and that is what you are seeing.

 

[AquaHobby]

To a molt or shed whatever you like to call it

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Assuming it’s not meaty inside, I’d guess that’s a hermit crab molt (crustaceans like shrimp, crabs, hermits, etc. shed their exoskeletons to grow similar to how snakes shed their skin to grow; sometimes these sheds look extremely similar to the live animal).

 

[jimk60]

Looks like one of your crabs molted.

 

[accidental_reefer]

oh I had no idea hermit crabs did that. Thanks ladies and gents for stopping my hyperventilating!