What might have killed two seemingly healthy hermits?

Mattyreefs

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Trying to figure out what might have suddenly killed two very active and seemingly healthy hermits. Both were decent sized about an inch and a half.

Yesterday I found my cuc eating one, I think it was a blue eyed hermit. Then today they moved onto my blue knuckle that I've had a few months. He was super active and seemed really healthy so particularly surprised about him.

Fish seem completely fine and so do all of my smaller hermits and shrimp, etc.

A couple days ago I had my first bad delivery from Reefcleaners (John took care of it no questions asked) and had several doa snails so I was thinking maybe a small ammonia spike but it's coming up 0.

Just a coincidence or could something else have killed them?
 

Timfish

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First thought is just coincidence. But what else do you have in your tank? What have your water parameters been and ehat are they now? Some fish and other crustaceans know hermits are easy prey when they have to molt and will catch and kill them when they're out of thier shell. Big changes in water chemestry when they have to molt can interfere with the moltong process also.
 
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Mattyreefs

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There's been no change to what's in the tank in a long time other than the handful of dead snails. Only fish are a clown, blenny and goby. Emerald crab, blood shrimp and tiger pistol.

Parameters have been very stable for a while. Nitrate at 2, phosphate 0.06, alk -hovers around 8.8 and ph is really steady at 7.8 nights and 8 days. No change in any of that or temp/salinity.

I've losy hermits here and there before but it was surprising that it's the two biggest ones I have and both have been really active up until this point.
 

Rick's Reviews

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Trying to figure out what might have suddenly killed two very active and seemingly healthy hermits. Both were decent sized about an inch and a half.

Yesterday I found my cuc eating one, I think it was a blue eyed hermit. Then today they moved onto my blue knuckle that I've had a few months. He was super active and seemed really healthy so particularly surprised about him.

Fish seem completely fine and so do all of my smaller hermits and shrimp, etc.

A couple days ago I had my first bad delivery from Reefcleaners (John took care of it no questions asked) and had several doa snails so I was thinking maybe a small ammonia spike but it's coming up 0.

Just a coincidence or could something else have killed them?
 

Zoa_Fanatic

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There's been no change to what's in the tank in a long time other than the handful of dead snails. Only fish are a clown, blenny and goby. Emerald crab, blood shrimp and tiger pistol.

Parameters have been very stable for a while. Nitrate at 2, phosphate 0.06, alk -hovers around 8.8 and ph is really steady at 7.8 nights and 8 days. No change in any of that or temp/salinity.

I've losy hermits here and there before but it was surprising that it's the two biggest ones I have and both have been really active up until this point.
Are they similar in size? Never had these two species before. If so it’s possible they did like my blue legs and battled to the death with the winner eventually dying from wounds. I started with 5 blue legs now I have 1
 

Rick's Reviews

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I'm in similar situation, my hermits are not so bad in random deaths but my snails are getting eaten.
For my hermits I have plenty of new homes for them (I have a variety of shells in my aquriam to chose from) this ensures hermits a choice rather then fighting/overtaking/ killing another for its house/ shell but snails are being targeted.
For you @Mattyreefs offer a variety of shells for a start, the bigger the better, I'm surprised at the conch shell my hermit carries compared to its size, it may not look pretty in your aquarium, it has worked for me :)
 
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Mattyreefs

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Are they similar in size? Never had these two species before. If so it’s possible they did like my blue legs and battled to the death with the winner eventually dying from wounds. I started with 5 blue legs now I have 1
Yeah the were actually exactly the same size. I know a lot could go on when I wasn't looking but I never saw them anywhere near each other.
 
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Mattyreefs

Mattyreefs

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I'm in similar situation, my hermits are not so bad in random deaths but my snails are getting eaten.
For my hermits I have plenty of new homes for them (I have a variety of shells in my aquriam to chose from) this ensures hermits a choice rather then fighting/overtaking/ killing another for its house/ shell but snails are being targeted.
For you @Mattyreefs offer a variety of shells for a start, the bigger the better, I'm surprised at the conch shell my hermit carries compared to its size, it may not look pretty in your aquarium, it has worked for me :)
Appreciate the input! I do have a lot of shells all different sizes. My 4 year old wants to put them in daily so I'm never short on hermit homes.

It's funny because the shell that my blue knuckle was in I always thought was way too big of an upgrade from his previous shell.
 
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