HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi all,
I was just wondering whether hermits can change gender. I have an odd dilemma about two of my crabs. A few months ago I found out I had four crabs instead of five meaning one must have died or gotten eaten or something (I cleaned out the entire tank just to check) I found the empty shell of my crab Luna who is a girl but I'm not sure if she did die. The other crab that I could've mistaken her for would be Magnus who is a boy. The one crab I'm not sure of at the moment is a girl so she must be Luna but she doesn't act like Luna at all she acts like Magnus. I'm not sure whether Magnus changed gender or what's happened but I would like to know who it could be that way I know which name to call it. Sorry if this doesn't make much sense but I just do not know what might have happened. Whether this crab is Luna or Magnus.
Thankyou in advance


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I think someone told me that the really small ones can.


Rod♡Salty♡Bob♡Squirt♡Crabina♡Who
»-♡-> Our Purple Pinchers <-♡-«

I don't remember where I picked it up, but I heard that they can change genders.

I've had it happen! At least, I swore I did.

Gender in hermits is rather undefined and there is a surprising percentage of intersex individuals.

IIRC I read it in one of the studies LJJ had us linked to in a folder of crab academic papers and studies. I don’t have the file any more


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tony from 陸寄居蟹研究室 Tony's Coenobita Land Hermit Crabs (facebook page) sent me a paper that talked about crabs changing sex. What he doesn't know about crabs isn't worth knowing. He has a heap of scientific papers on crabs. Also some other people have commented on crabs changing sex. I can't be certain but I thought Mango was female and now definitely male but Mango is a big crab not a small one.

So you think it's possible that the crab that is alive is Magnus? I thought I was losing it because she definitely wasn't acting like Luna and I found her old shell empty and buried.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Mine have changed gender. I used to have about an equal number of males and females. Now I have one large male (who used to be female) and the rest are females (except for two recent fosters who haven't been with my colony very long). They are behaving much more like a harem--reminds me quite a bit of parrotfish. I wouldn't be surprised if hermit crabs have a supermale phase much like parrotfish and wrasses.