HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I went to look at my crab and he’s like this. What does this mean when he’s half out of his shell? I was thinking he was dead because a crab I had once before was like this until she laid on her side and passed away.


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Sometimes they stretch partway out to reach something like food or when inspecting another shell. As long as they aren't leaving their shell, and the shell itself seems to be structurally intact, then he's probably fine. If he does end up leaving his shell, you'll need to reshell him as soon as possible. If you don't already, try to ensure that there are other shells in the tank that are the same size as his shell, as well as a little bigger than his shell. That way he has options to change into if his shell is bothering him.

here's the guide on what to do if your crab is out of his shell:

https://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB ... 7&t=122302

MotleyMusicana wrote:Sometimes they stretch partway out to reach something like food or when inspecting another shell. As long as they aren't leaving their shell, and the shell itself seems to be structurally intact, then he's probably fine. If he does end up leaving his shell, you'll need to reshell him as soon as possible. If you don't already, try to ensure that there are other shells in the tank that are the same size as his shell, as well as a little bigger than his shell. That way he has options to change into if his shell is bothering him.

here's the guide on what to do if your crab is out of his shell:

https://hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB ... 7&t=122302

He isn’t moving at all. His antennas are literally just down on the ground. His body is so limp. Even when you move him nothing happens it’s just a limp body in a shell. It’s to the point if you were to pick him up he’ll just fall out. Usually when I come close to him he goes in his shell but that didn’t happen. I have another crab also but he’s under I’m not sure if something’s wrong with him either. He’s been under for about to be 2 weeks. He changed shells went under and came back up and went back under and been under ever since.


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Oh boy....yeah he's dead. I'm so sorry

Your other crab may be fine. Try taking your dead crab out, and cleaning cleaning the substrate out immediately around where the crab was, and maybe the top half inch of sub. If your tank has a fishy dead smell after that, then it may be your buried crab. I'd wait a while longer though to see if your buried crab surfaces. They can be underground for months at a time. Keep providing food and changing the water.

What are the conditions like in the tank? Temperature, humidity? What food is offered? Is both saltwater and freshwater offered, and is it treated? If so, with what? How deep is the sub and is it wet throughout?