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do hermit crabs molt?


jayjay1976

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hello,

 

my 15G tall has been up for a week now and i'm pretty sure one of my little blue-leg hermits has molted. does this mean I should start finding some shells? they are really tiny so im not sure where to get a suitably small assortment of shells. Also, how urgent is the need for a new shell? what happens if they dont find one they like?

 

j

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RayWhisperer

Yes, all crabs molt.

Many craft stores carry shells, usually much cheaper than LFS's that have them. Get an assortment of sizes. I've noticed my hermits like to use shells that are much too large for them.... Maybe that's just mine, though.

 

Wait, you have a tank that's been up for a week? Why do you have anything in it yet?

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i bought fully cured LR and waited till my ammonia came down before throwing all of 5 tiny hermits in. oh, and a turbo snail. all are happily eating algae off my LR and the glass.

 

my 4 yellow tangs seem happy and are eating a lot, so whats wrong?

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i hope the yellow tangs is sarcasm....

 

 

the guy at the LFS said they would be fine! he had a shirt with a fish on it, so I assumed he knows his stuff!

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but my Aquaclear 110 is rated for a 110G tank, mine is only 15 so its really clean

 

oh crap, one of the tangs is stuck to the filter intake!

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hello,

 

my 15G tall has been up for a week now and i'm pretty sure one of my little blue-leg hermits has molted. does this mean I should start finding some shells? they are really tiny so im not sure where to get a suitably small assortment of shells. Also, how urgent is the need for a new shell? what happens if they dont find one they like?

 

j

 

All arthropods molt--shrimp, crabs, isopods, copepods, amphipods, tarantulas... :)

 

But after molting, hc's usually move back into their old shell, as it is right there...Many of the crabs we buy are already at adult size and do not need bigger shells with each molt. But they often like to change, anyway. Shell changing is usually accomplished between molts. If you get a chance to observe it, it's quite fascinating--a very programmed series of steps involving checking out the new shell and trying it on. My hc's ( 2) go back and forth between the same 4 shells.

 

--Diane

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