Two questions: blue eyed hermit, crab claws

twiggyb · 12/17/2009, 08:23 AM

I'm not sure if my blue eyed hermits, Calcinus laevimanus, are molting, or being pulled out. I'm just not sure because it looks like the claws are still attached and they aren't really transparent looking. that's the first question, the second one is that I keep finding little broken off crab claws on the sand bed every now and then, and just this morning I saw a little red one with black tips. The other ones are beige with a little orange/red color. I know when I first set up my tank I noticed a small brown spider crab with black tipped claws, but I haven't seen anything since. Anyone have any answers for the first question and what there might be hiding in my rocks for the second?

phil519 · 12/17/2009, 09:31 AM

hermit crabs will vie for each other's shells and on occasion the loser will suffer worse fate. Consider it part of the cost of adding hermits into the tank. Whether you have extra shells or not - I find that they tend to be cannibalistic unless you have a lot of excess food.

the small brown spider like crab doesn't sound reef safe and could also be the source of your hermit de-population.

twiggyb · 12/17/2009, 09:53 AM

I took that one out of the tank when I discovered it. So r those dead bodies I'm seeing or molts?

12/17/2009, 08:23 AM	#1
twiggyb Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: DeSoto, MO Posts: 3,813	Two questions: blue eyed hermit, crab claws I'm not sure if my blue eyed hermits, Calcinus laevimanus, are molting, or being pulled out. I'm just not sure because it looks like the claws are still attached and they aren't really transparent looking. that's the first question, the second one is that I keep finding little broken off crab claws on the sand bed every now and then, and just this morning I saw a little red one with black tips. The other ones are beige with a little orange/red color. I know when I first set up my tank I noticed a small brown spider crab with black tipped claws, but I haven't seen anything since. Anyone have any answers for the first question and what there might be hiding in my rocks for the second? __________________ -Daniel- Love, grease and chicken peace! Chicken are people too. Current Tank Info: 29g since March 2012

12/17/2009, 09:31 AM	#2
phil519 Got Rotifers? Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NJ Posts: 2,760	hermit crabs will vie for each other's shells and on occasion the loser will suffer worse fate. Consider it part of the cost of adding hermits into the tank. Whether you have extra shells or not - I find that they tend to be cannibalistic unless you have a lot of excess food. the small brown spider like crab doesn't sound reef safe and could also be the source of your hermit de-population. __________________ Phil NJ reefers club Current Tank Info: 120 RR Mixed Reef, Custom 40G sump, started Nov 2008. "Are you suggesting that coconuts migrate?"

12/17/2009, 09:53 AM	#3
twiggyb Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: DeSoto, MO Posts: 3,813	I took that one out of the tank when I discovered it. So r those dead bodies I'm seeing or molts? __________________ -Daniel- Love, grease and chicken peace! Chicken are people too. Current Tank Info: 29g since March 2012