HCA: Hermit Crab Association

When I was changing out food and water tonight for my 4 babies, I noticed a very strong "plastic-type" smell. I had never noticed it before. I have 2 dug down, one tiny PP for almost 2 weeks and one large PP for the same amount of time. I also have 2 on the surface who spend most of their time half buried, but both occasionally eat. Would I be smelling one of the buried ones molting, or do you think it's one of the surface ones? Also, it doesn't smell like iodine, but more like plastic or glue. Could it be something else? I haven't changed anything in the tank. Please help this nervous new mommy figure things out.

Some people think it smells like iodine, I personally think it smells more like bromine, but it really just depends on the person. Some people only smell it once the molt is taking place, I smell it days in advance. My roommate thought I was crazy and could barely smell anything from the tank, while the smell was strong enough to turn my stomach. The thing is: Everyone is going to smell it differently. Trying to compare it may help some, but confuse others. You'll eventually just learn the smell and know it as the "molt" smell. Now, whether it's one on the surface or under, again, depends on your nose and your particular sense of smell. ~*shrugs*~

BTW, Do you have plastic plants close to a light? I find the closer my plants are to my light, the more plastic I smell in the tank. Just a thought.

Raen is right on. The lack of smelling is genetic. I always say I can't smell something that other people can. One of my brothers has no sense of smell at all. And he's a gourmet cook - go figure.

Also, when one of my little ones passes, I have never smelled the 'fishy' smell.

I guess my point is that a smell may differ from one person to another. So there is no written in stone answer to how something smells.

I didn't smell anything when my molters were doing thier thing, and I didn't even smell the death smell from Mr. Krabs until I picked him up and had my nose like 6" from him *shrug*

Nope, no plastic plants near bulbs. The smell isn't as strong today, tho. Hmmm....

Grammarcia wrote:One of my brothers has no sense of smell at all. And he's a gourmet cook - go figure.

Hehehehe...