Crab Hitch Hiker?

[davePM]

Is there any chance a hermit crab could hitch a lift on some LR? Or another crab that might live in a shell?

I added 3 Turbo snails, 2 Red Hermits and 2 Blue dwarf hermits. When I got home tonight I took a look in the tank, saw one of the snails, only it now seems to be occupied by a crab!
Now, I could understand one of the hermits stealing the shell, even though there are plenty of extra homes in there for them, BUT, the snail-killing-shell-squatting invader appears to be reddish in colour, and I can see both of my red legged hermits! (I can only see one of the Blue Dwarf hermits at the minute, but the other likes the back of the tank!)

Am I going mad? Has someone tricked me? Can crabs change colour?

(btw, its possible this is not the shell of a dead snail, there were some empty shells very similar in the tank, and the snails seem to prefer the dark pass the flashlight!!)

 

[mr_X]

all crabs are opportunistic feeders and have no problem killing and eating snails, or killing them just for their shells. to answer your question- yes, it's quite possible a hermit hitched a ride in your tank on a piece of rock.

 

[davePM]

all crabs are opportunistic feeders and have no problem killing and eating snails, or killing them just for their shells. to answer your question- yes, it's quite possible a hermit hitched a ride in your tank on a piece of rock.

Well, hitchhiker is looking more likely, either on LR or in the extra shells I got from the LFS. All the snails and crabs I put in are accounted for, so, YAY! Free stuff!!