Could my snails be killing my crabs?

[b3noodles]

Hey all,
Just wondering if my turbo snails could be killing my hermits? I have had 2 die without being in their shells. I am not sure if they are coming out to get into another shell and just dying or what. I have several empty shells in there for the snails and crabs to change into. Today I noticed a snail going up the side of my tank and a hermit was on him. Kinda hanging on by the shell where the snail comes out. I went and looked again and no the hermit was on the bottom and the snail was still on the tank. Any suggetions?? My kids want to go get more hermits but if they are just going to be killed I cant do that.

Sue :0)


55 Gal FOWLR
Yellow Tang
LM Blenny
Royal Grama
2 Clowns
2 Star Fish
4 Turbo Snails
4 Hermit Crabs
3 Urchins(pincushion)

[snapcrackler]

No, your snails are innocent. Perhaps hermits fighting eachother or something else getting them. If there are not enough empty shells to go into as they groww, they will fight and pull eachother out of shells where they are very vulnerable to attack.

Also make sure your salinity is OK for inverts, like 1.025 is good.

[Brad]

No...much, much more likely to be the other way around. Any snail that falls on his back is a target for a crab looking for a meal that comes with a new house for dessert!

The silly hermit probably just hitched a ride then found out he had no where to go and fell to the bottom. I doubt he was dead.

Also...don't get fooled by discarded hermit crab skins. They routinely split their skin as they grow and leave the empty behind. With hermits, it can really look like a dead body, but it isn't.

[ClamKnuckle]

How do you tell when its a body or if its from molting (?)
When i find a hermit crab "skin" in my tank it usual has some white tissue behind it and i always assumed it was what was left of the body of the crab that is in the shell.