Happiness and then Death

[BlueDolphin]

Well, first of all - my Regal Tang made it through her long quarantine time and has been in the main tank for about a week now. I was sure that she was just going to hide within the rocks all the time since she was always hiding beneath the PVC in the QT. However, she is swimming all around and just seems as happy as can be! With this I am very pleased as she is my first fish and I was scared that I wasn't doing everything perfectly. That's the happiness. Now the Death.

I received an order from LiveAquaria yesterday (one peppermint shrimp, one electric blue hermit, one cleaner shrimp, and 3 super tongan nassarius snails). I drip acclimated everyone and then put them in the main tank. The shrimp immediately disappeared behind the rocks, the snails burrowed into the sand, and the hermit remained in his shell. Well.... several hours later I found some of my tank inhabitants eating the now deceased peppermint!! I was shocked. Then, to add to it - this morning I found the electric blue hermit pulled out of his shell. I thought it was the end of the world!!! The snails and cleaner shrimp, on the ohter hand, are doing fabulously. I was surprised that the hermit was killed though because he was so much bigger than the other hermits I already had in the tank.... I guess he didn't put up much of a fight. Does anyone have any electric blue hermits? I also have a smaller one and he is doing just fine.

 

[brndfrb]

The hermit may have just died due to stress. Sam ewith the pepermint. Doesn't liveaquaria have a gurentee? I would look into it. I love the blue. I had one for about 8 months then when i moved 2 months ago he hitchiked on some rock and i searched everywhere for him. Well two days later i found him in the rock tub dead. Very sad. I hope you have great luck with him.

 

[BlueDolphin]

I did contact LiveAquaria. They have a 10-day guarantee, so they refunded the amount for the shrimp and the hermit. The electric blue hermits are very striking, aren't they? I love their little blue eyestalks!

 

[brndfrb]

i was talking about the tang not the crab. Sorry to confuse you. But yes i have a few of the hermits as well. Had them for a while.

 

[quarryshark]

He may have molted, kinda doubt it since thet were so new. But it is possible.
BTW, I have several Blue hermits, one is getting huge almost 2". Very cool.

 

[BlueDolphin]

i was talking about the tang not the crab. Sorry to confuse you. But yes i have a few of the hermits as well. Had them for a while.

Oh! Sorry, the tang is also quite a beautiful blue. She looks more of an aqua in the picture though.

I am pretty positive that it wasn't a molt of the peppermint that I saw. The molts are usually a transparent white - this was...well... very life-like. :?

Here is a picture of the electric blue hermit from the LiveAquaria site: