HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi
I have 3 crabs down right now. One has been for over a month and a half (the largest) and the other 2 have been for about 3 weeks. I slid the tank over and peeked through the bottom because I was worried that they had been down so long. These are my fist crabs and I was told it he new crab section they were probably destressing but I was still worried so I just hoped t see some movement if possible.( This was about 2 weeks ago.) They were moving some legs so I was feeling much better and assumed it was detsressing. Last night I was doing a water change and curiosity got the best of me so I stole another quick look while I had the tank pulled away from the wall. All three are moving still but his time the larger crab who has been under the longest has white flaky stuff around him and so does one of the smaller guys. They seem to be picking a it and maybe even eating it. Is his their Exo? Are they are now molting? Should they be okay even if not in ISO while they are molting? The crab who has been up all along doesn't seem to be in that corner very much at all so I think they have been left to do their thing without being disturbed. I am also wondering if the fact that they don't have a tunnel leading out of their hiding spots is something I should be concerned about? I moved some things away from the area directly above them when I first found out were they were so they should be able to get out when they are ready.
Thanks again for your help!

Don't worry - everything you described is perfect! Almost all new crabs will molt once they are put into the right conditions. I've never had a new crab destress - they all stayed down for a few months to molt and came up shiny new again.

To answer your questions:

Is his their Exo?
Yep. It breaks into pieces as they crunch it up with their claws. Usually the hardest parts like leg tips and portions of the big claw will be left behind, so don't be alarmed if you find bits once they are done.

Are they are now molting?
Yep, and are more than half-way through. The actual eating part is fairly quick business and they will resurface soon after finishing most of it. From my experience they should just be another two weeks or so.

Should they be okay even if not in ISO while they are molting?
Yes. ISO molting is a personal choice. If the crabs have never had issues with being disturbed or having difficulty in the main tank, then there usually is no need to move them. It's still essential to have an ISO ready though in case someone goes digging at the wrong time, or one of the crabs needs to be separated.

I am also wondering if the fact that they don't have a tunnel leading out of their hiding spots is something I should be concerned about?
The only time my crabs have a visible tunnel is when they're digging around for fun. When they go to molt they want to make absolutely sure that no other crab can find them, so they pack the sand tight behind them as they dig and the only open portion underground is the cave they molt in. They'll dig themselves out by pushing sand into that cave as they tunnel up to the surface.

In the future you can leave the stuff on top of them. I've noticed that mine actually prefer to molt when there are structures above them. (Figured it was for protection when they molt in the wild.) They almost never dig straight up, instead coming out at an angle somewhere you'd never suspect. (Or come to hate - I can't tell you how many times mine have spilled the water dishes coming up from molts! )

Hope this helps calms your nerves a bit. The first few molts are always hair-raising, but eventually it just becomes a regular crabby activity.

It could be their exo. If they are eating it they've already molted and are in the process of eating their exo for the minerals to help harden the new ones and should be coming up soon[ish] [[I say ish because crabs always do everything in their own time.]] Most times if they can bury deep enough there is no need to isolate them to a separate tank to molt. Also, even if they are directly under something, it is generally not a good idea to move it. They can dig themselves out of a lot of things, and moving things above them, if they are heavier can cause collapses of the tunnels.

Sounds like all is going well. Although it's fun to check on them they need the time in the dark to molt so I would not check more than once every few days. I understand being anxious. My medium PP just spent 54 days under and I started worrying about day 40. He's fine and actually grew to be a large during the molt.

Thank you soo much for the input. I have wanted to peek more but so far I have been able to control myself. I am very happy to hear all is well and can't wait to finally get a chance to "meet" them!!