Whos the culprit??

[Flaxon-Waxon]

So yesterday I came home to a hermit crab, dead, out of its shell... Today, the same thing, another dead one... What's up with this? Here's my livestock:

2 mocha clowns
1 algae blenny
1 clown goby
1 long spine sea urchin
1 emerald crab/Snails/hermits..

They get fed once a day. Is one of my fish doing this, are the crabs committing suicide, etc... Any advice here?? There are plenty of spare shells for when they get big to move into by the way...!

 

[crister13]

The crabs could be coming out of their shell because they grew too large for it and then are being killed.

 

[Crystal A]

Are they molting and it's just the shell you are seeing?

 

[crister13]

Possible. Or what I said earlier.

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

But if they're crawling out why aren't they moving into a bigger shell... There are about 10 extra shells of all different sizes that are empty right now...?

 

[crister13]

Thy may not be able to find it in time or get in in time.

 

[JustinKBreen]

More than likely it is just a molt you are seeing, not a dead hermit. I still get concerned when I see it but as far as I can tell they're all still here.

I like when my red or blue leg hermit molts because I only have one of each, easy to find they guy and reassure myself

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Kinda tough to tell but does this look like a molt? It's the entire hermit crab, even part of his butt area..

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

I think I figured it out!! My urchin is attacking one right now, what is up with that??