HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I have a teeny PP named Firefly that I brought home in November 2009. I know that he's been molting every 4 to 5 weeks because I kept finding him mid-molt in the worst possible places (moss pits, barely under the ground, behind structures).

He hasn't grown. He's changed shells, but he has not grown at all! I'm starting to get a bit worried because I would have thought that after so many molts and almost 15 months he would have at least gotten a tiny bit bigger.

I'll get some photos of him the next time I see him out and about. He's incredibly shy and I haven't been able to get him to come out around me since we handled him in the store.

Anyone else have teeny or small crabs that have shown no signs of growing?

I have a rug, Mandarin, that hasn't grown at all in nearly two years. Sometimes I worry about him, especially when I compare him to his "brother" rug who started at his size and is now double that. However, Mandarin is a great eater, drinker, molter, and is very active so I don't think there's anything wrong with him.

I also have a similar situation with two of my Ecuadorians that I bought as micros and now one is about triple the size of the other. In that case the smaller one is obviously growing, just at a much slower rate than the other.

It can all be mystifying and a little frustrating.

I would up the natural oils in the diet. More raw nuts more fresh coconut. Oils= fats Fats= growth also consider a full spectrum light if you dont already have one to help the crabs process the foods that they are taking in properly. It might be things you already know and are doing but I thought id post it any way.

I thought I had a photo of him when I brought him home, but I can't find it.

So, to give an idea of how little growth I'm talking about, here's a photo of his old shell (on the left) as opposed to his new shell (on the right). He fit in his old shell the same as he did his new one - it was too large for him.





And this is him - stuffed all the way inside! I can't even get my camera to get a clear photo of his claw because it's too small.

Just a tip on the focus, it looks like the camera is focusing on the shell -- If it's got continual focus turn that off (it may just say AF or Auto Focus). Let it focus on the shell, then move the camera forward a quarter inch or so the focal point is on the crab instead.

suebee wrote:I would up the natural oils in the diet.

I agree, also, the quality of fats is important. Most decapods require high levels of PUFA and HUFA for development, especially early on. Get some cyclopeeze and try that, it has decent levels.

Another thing to try would be mysis shrimp by PE mysis. They are loaded with lots of oils appropriate for marine inverts (and land hermit crabs are really marine animals in many senses of the word).

Also, quality protein is important for tissue building so don't forget the shrimps and such.

Good luck!

Keith

They've been getting a good diet this whole time, but I've never actually caught him eating. Freshly frozen coconut is a staple and they go through a whole coconut in about a month now. Proteins are given by way of mainly freeze-dried - bloodworm, krill, plankton, daphnia, and recently added freshwater shrimp, mealworm and cricket. They get chicken liver on a regular basis along with fresh fish (tilapia, tuna, trout, salmon) whenever we have it.

Would frozen offer more quality than freeze-dried? If so I'll add it to my shopping list. I'm sure the loaches would appreciate some frozen food again once in a while as well. They went bonkers over the freshwater shrimp I had gotten for the crabs. Gotta spread the love around so none of the critters get jealous.

I've tried a variety of nuts in the past, but they were never touched. Walnut, almond, peanut, pistachio - none were even picked at. I know that peanut butter is a good source but I can't get near the stuff without getting sick from the smell!

He's the only crab out of 39 who hasn't noticeably grown. The rest have all doubled in size by their third molt.

I have a little girl that I kid you not looks nearly identical to yours. Got her in June of last year and I haven't noticed any growth with her yet either. I do need to up the fresh coconut I know that much because my 2nd largest just came up and didn't grow much if at all either. Color changed a lot though. I'm kind of curious why we both have a crab that looks nearly the same size and the same shell that hasn't grown, though you've had yours for longer.

I believe some crabs just have different growth rates. I do all the things that have been recommended here for optimal growth including UV lighting, protein, oils, nuts, fresh coconut, Cyclop-eeze, etc. and I still have a couple crabs that are slow growers.