Crab eating crab

I got my first shipment of Scarlet hermits and emerald crabs. I know they
will occasionally molt and have been told they will look like a dead crab,
so I have been keeping an eye out for this. I found one of my hermits on a
rock without a shell.... the back end looked long and translucent-like. I
wasn't sure if it came out to die or if this was the infamous molt. Next
thing I know an emerald was snacking on it... looked like it was eating
flesh. My guess is it was dead and being eaten. Now I am concerned about
all my others... they are all of a sudden difficult to find. I find legs or
pinchers here and there and say a little prayer for my little buddies. What
do you guys think is happening? Does anyone have a pick of a molt and
hermit out of its shell?

Do you have extra, larger shells in the tank for them to go to when they
grow? If they get too big for the shells they're in they suffocate. Mine
seem to switch several times for a few months and then slow down after that.
David Young
"Bob Parkins" wrote in message
link.net...
I got my first shipment of Scarlet hermits and emerald crabs. I know they
will occasionally molt and have been told they will look like a dead crab,
so I have been keeping an eye out for this. I found one of my hermits on
a
rock without a shell.... the back end looked long and translucent-like. I
wasn't sure if it came out to die or if this was the infamous molt. Next
thing I know an emerald was snacking on it... looked like it was eating
flesh. My guess is it was dead and being eaten. Now I am concerned about
all my others... they are all of a sudden difficult to find. I find legs
or
pinchers here and there and say a little prayer for my little buddies.
What
do you guys think is happening? Does anyone have a pick of a molt and
hermit out of its shell?

Odds are it was a molt. And when you feed your tank, start counting when
activity peaks. Or check at night with a flashlight when they are busiest.

Marc


Bob Parkins wrote:

I got my first shipment of Scarlet hermits and emerald crabs. I know they
will occasionally molt and have been told they will look like a dead crab,
so I have been keeping an eye out for this. I found one of my hermits on a
rock without a shell.... the back end looked long and translucent-like. I
wasn't sure if it came out to die or if this was the infamous molt. Next
thing I know an emerald was snacking on it... looked like it was eating
flesh. My guess is it was dead and being eaten. Now I am concerned about
all my others... they are all of a sudden difficult to find. I find legs or
pinchers here and there and say a little prayer for my little buddies. What
do you guys think is happening? Does anyone have a pick of a molt and
hermit out of its shell?

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

Where do you get extra empty shells?

when i put in several blue leg and scarlet hermits, the games began. Many
attacked each other.

I remember on one occaision, a hermit was attacking another, had its pinchers
extended into his foes shell, thrashing and strangling him so hard their shells
were smacking together. I tried to intervene, during which the victim fled his
shell and ran butt naked across the sand for cover amongst the rocks, his body
was already visisbly torn at this point. I know they're just hermit crabs, but
I'm a softie, still feel bad for them. I was so angered at the attacker,
I took him out and threw him in my other tank with my humu trigger, so he can
get a taste of his own medicine.

Bob Parkins wrote:

I got my first shipment of Scarlet hermits and emerald crabs. I know they
will occasionally molt and have been told they will look like a dead crab,
so I have been keeping an eye out for this. I found one of my hermits on a
rock without a shell.... the back end looked long and translucent-like. I
wasn't sure if it came out to die or if this was the infamous molt. Next
thing I know an emerald was snacking on it... looked like it was eating
flesh. My guess is it was dead and being eaten. Now I am concerned about
all my others... they are all of a sudden difficult to find. I find legs or
pinchers here and there and say a little prayer for my little buddies. What
do you guys think is happening? Does anyone have a pick of a molt and
hermit out of its shell?

The extra shell from other crab like emerald crap or any other crab that
molted. Or you can get some shell from other Reefer and or the ocean.

Mostly all my extra shell from ex-owner like emerald crab and other from
same tank. Hermit use any shell, even the snail shell. It will use whever
shell that is big enough or comfortable.

CapFusion,...


"TomW" wrote in message
...
Where do you get extra empty shells?

Emerald!? Really!?
They don't have shells. u are saying they live inside their molt???

CapFusion wrote in message
...
The extra shell from other crab like emerald crap or any other crab that
molted. Or you can get some shell from other Reefer and or the ocean.

Mostly all my extra shell from ex-owner like emerald crab and other from
same tank. Hermit use any shell, even the snail shell. It will use whever
shell that is big enough or comfortable.

CapFusion,...


"TomW" wrote in message
...
Where do you get extra empty shells?

Sould I be throwing in flake food now?
I have been "raking" out diatoms like crazy! Why? I use a 5stage RO/DI...
how do Silicates get in !!??

Marc Levenson wrote in message
...
Odds are it was a molt. And when you feed your tank, start counting when
activity peaks. Or check at night with a flashlight when they are
busiest.

Marc


Bob Parkins wrote:

I got my first shipment of Scarlet hermits and emerald crabs. I know
they
will occasionally molt and have been told they will look like a dead
crab,
so I have been keeping an eye out for this. I found one of my hermits
on a
rock without a shell.... the back end looked long and translucent-like.
I
wasn't sure if it came out to die or if this was the infamous molt.
Next
thing I know an emerald was snacking on it... looked like it was eating
flesh. My guess is it was dead and being eaten. Now I am concerned
about
all my others... they are all of a sudden difficult to find. I find
legs or
pinchers here and there and say a little prayer for my little buddies.
What
do you guys think is happening? Does anyone have a pick of a molt and
hermit out of its shell?

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

I was so angered at the attacker,
I took him out and threw him in my other tank with my humu trigger, so he
can
get a taste of his own medicine.


hehehe... that's funny. Sorry for your little crab though.

"Bob Parkins" wrote in message
news
Emerald!? Really!?
They don't have shells. u are saying they live inside their molt???
Any crab or whatever use shell before or dead crab or whatever that once
occupy is no longer use it. Heck, I seen them using anything that will cover
their body and hide in it.

CapFusion,...