my hermit crab might have issue

ducati1212 · 09/16/2006, 04:01 PM

Brought home a new hermit today (and some other stuff) and when I looked inthe bag there were 2 hermit legs loose in the bag that had not been there before. I could see way in the shell that there was a crab in there but he is not moving. I added him to the tank anyways to see if he would pull through I thought maybe under stress they lose legs.?? Its been a few hours and he hasn't moved. was he DOA you think.?

HBtank · 09/16/2006, 04:07 PM

well, if the legs are hollow, then it was molting...

if the legs look like they have "meat" in them, then there might be a problem.

Following molting my hermits "chill" for up to a week sometimes, curled up in their shell while their exoskeletons harden..

It is pretty damn hard to kill a hermit.

ducati1212 · 09/16/2006, 04:17 PM

would he molt in a bag going from the pet store to home.? I poured him into my holding container to drip acclimate no legs in there. went back 10 minutes later to do a water drip and there were two legs. I did not check them and already dumped the legs.

He is in my tank his shell has not moved. I'll just leave him be

Shagsbeard · 09/16/2006, 05:06 PM

Crabs will regrow legs that they loose. I'd give the guy a chance.

09/16/2006, 04:01 PM	#1
ducati1212 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mass Posts: 604	my hermit crab might have issue Brought home a new hermit today (and some other stuff) and when I looked inthe bag there were 2 hermit legs loose in the bag that had not been there before. I could see way in the shell that there was a crab in there but he is not moving. I added him to the tank anyways to see if he would pull through I thought maybe under stress they lose legs.?? Its been a few hours and he hasn't moved. was he DOA you think.?

09/16/2006, 04:07 PM	#2
HBtank Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 2,957	well, if the legs are hollow, then it was molting... if the legs look like they have "meat" in them, then there might be a problem. Following molting my hermits "chill" for up to a week sometimes, curled up in their shell while their exoskeletons harden.. It is pretty damn hard to kill a hermit. __________________ 80g Aiptasia dominated reef tank.. with fish and now a bunch of berghia! Current Tank Info: 80g tank, re-starting a reef after a zoanthid nudibranch plauge, followed by months of steady and unstoppable STN/RTN, crashed; stayed FOWLR for a couple years, currently an aiptasia dominated reef tank with fishies and BERGHIA

09/16/2006, 04:17 PM	#3
ducati1212 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Mass Posts: 604	would he molt in a bag going from the pet store to home.? I poured him into my holding container to drip acclimate no legs in there. went back 10 minutes later to do a water drip and there were two legs. I did not check them and already dumped the legs. He is in my tank his shell has not moved. I'll just leave him be

09/16/2006, 05:06 PM	#4
Shagsbeard Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Morro Bay, CA Posts: 2,143	Crabs will regrow legs that they loose. I'd give the guy a chance.