Hermit crab not moving

[PhylumCnidaria]

I have 4 hermit crabs in a 29 gallon biocube with good water parameters ( I don’t know them currently but my zoas sprouted a new head) but one of my hermit crabs is sitting in the front of the tank not moving, but there are small movements, like wiggling the antennae and extending/ retracting his head and moving his legs, but he hasn’t changed spots in 2 days, so I’m wondering if this is normal after a molt or something or is I should worry about it.

 

[nanofowlrboy]

This happens to me all of the time. One question is there a lot of food in the tank, because they won’t move if the food is coming to them a lot. Another thing is hermits gets lethargic when there is high nitrates and phosphates.

 

[PhylumCnidaria]

Ok, we are moving the tank and we just finished, so the nitrates will be higher, but there is plenty of algae growth and the occasional uneaten food

 

[nanofowlrboy]

Nitrates + Uneaten food/algae + algae (usually high phosphates) = Lazy Invertebrates

 

[PhylumCnidaria]

I’m gonna do a water test soon and post the results

 

[Sniperhank]

I'm going to break this down as kindly as possible.
There is a lot going on in your system and you are posting about it very often.
You have sick fish, which is the outcome of the parameter issues...I also think I pointed out aggression earlier as well as improperly cycled... The hermits being 'lazy' is either from him standing there eating for long period of time OR that it is stressed out from parameter issues.

So, where to go from here? Simply. LARGE water changes with ro/di water. I'm looking towards 50% of the water column twice a week on top of the 10% that you should be doing weekly.
You need to cut down drastically on your feeding, as it is feeding the nutrient problems in your water column. You will need to target feed your watchman goby gingerly as throwing as much food into the system hoping that it'll get some scraps will turn your water column into major nitrate sinks.
All in all, there is an impression being presented here that there is a lot of money being thrown into this system to 1. correct issues you are identifying and 2. getting things that is believed will look nice in your system. This hobby requires major patience. Throwing money at it won't fix anything...I and pretty much everyone else has tried.
So, to solve your issues you need to do water changes and slow down. This might not be able to save everything in your system, but it is what is necessary to save what is salvageable.

 

[PhylumCnidaria]

I'm going to break this down as kindly as possible.
There is a lot going on in your system and you are posting about it very often.
You have sick fish, which is the outcome of the parameter issues...I also think I pointed out aggression earlier as well as improperly cycled... The hermits being 'lazy' is either from him standing there eating for long period of time OR that it is stressed out from parameter issues.

So, where to go from here? Simply. LARGE water changes with ro/di water. I'm looking towards 50% of the water column twice a week on top of the 10% that you should be doing weekly.
You need to cut down drastically on your feeding, as it is feeding the nutrient problems in your water column. You will need to target feed your watchman goby gingerly as throwing as much food into the system hoping that it'll get some scraps will turn your water column into major nitrate sinks.
All in all, there is an impression being presented here that there is a lot of money being thrown into this system to 1. correct issues you are identifying and 2. getting things that is believed will look nice in your system. This hobby requires major patience. Throwing money at it won't fix anything...I and pretty much everyone else has tried.
So, to solve your issues you need to do water changes and slow down. This might not be able to save everything in your system, but it is what is necessary to save what is salvageable.

Well, we just moved the tank to a new house and rearranged the rockwork and replaced the sand, so stress and new parameters is to be expected while the nitrogen cycle restarts, and we are dosing beneficial bacteria

 

[PhylumCnidaria]

The fish also aren’t sick

 

[Sniperhank]

The fish also aren’t sick

So your watchmen is fat and happy now? Well that’s good news.

 

[PhylumCnidaria]

No. He is still thin, but I managed to get him to eat