HCA: Hermit Crab Association

This isn't an emergency, at least not anymore, but I have been having a ton of trouble with my one crab, Stubby.

I got Stubby as a pity buy, he was in a football helmant. He was in dire need of a molt. It took about 2 months for him to change into a different shell, out of thehelmant.

So he went down to molt the first time, and one day I wake up seeing another crab wearing his shell. I thought maybe he came up, but no. I search around and he is naked, freshly molted, missing 1 leg. I reshell him, and he streaks right after I put him back in the tank. That happended about 5 times.

So he finnaly stays in a shell, and about 1 month later, he goes down to molt. As I was cleaning thetank, I acidently stumbled upon him, but he had not molted yet, but looked like he had been in some sort of attack. I put a little garden pot over him, and about 2 weeks later, I check him out. All the exo was eating, but he was not right.

3 of his 4 legs are botched. One is about twice as long as another, 1 is twisted, another is extremely short. His pincher also had patches of exo still needing to come off, but I was able to gently scrape it off.

He went naked within the 1st hour of being in the tank. I quickly ISOed him with some shells, and it took him about in hour to change. So I put him back in, about 2 hours later he is naked. So I put him in ISO all night, and he kept the shell all day. I then ISO'd him in the main tank, in a corner shower caddy.

He is very listless, and hasn't really been moving. The poor guy can bearly move. He has done this to me before, but I am so worried.

I feed them an allnatrual diet, courtesy of THHC. What do you guys think happended, and what should I do? Thanks guys!

Edit: He's also missing his little pincher.

Omygosh, the poor thing!

I wish I had some sage advice for you....I just wanted to send him some healing vibes.

Poor little mite....

Sorry, but I've never heard of a crab that will go naked so often. It might be good to put him in ISO for awhile so-the other crabs don't notice his vulnerability.

If you could also put a number of shells in with him. I would suggest you add both shells that are to small and too big. Because of his deformities, he might be more comfortable in a size shell you wouldn't consider for him yourself.

Good luck.

Thanks guys. I added him back in the tank, he hasn't moved out of his garden pot for more than 5 hours. He is very lethargic, but when I hold him, he is energetic. I'd keep him in ISO, but unfortionitly, I don't think I would be able to keep good conditions in the one I have. I think I'm gonna ISO him within the main tank. Thanks for the shell tip! Hope fully he'll go down and molt.

But he's missing his baby pincher.

I am curious about the status of the crab that goes naked quite a bit. Did the isolation inside the tank help? Is he shelled and happy now?

I am, too, curious. might I add I used to use Spanish Moss (I know we've figured out not to, now) and one of my crabs molted and came up with tan/white blotched on his legs.

After I removed the moss, its now longer a problem. Just curious if you have ever used it and that maybe that's the problem.