Is my crab molting? Hasnt moved much in a few days

[Nautilusmollusc]

So i found him last night outside of his shell in the isolation tank, he,s very mich alive and i see his abdomens blueish black. Apparently thats a gland foe molting?

He smells a little bit but is responding when nudged.

I just got another 16w heating mat. Should i place it under the tank? I have a 10gallon with a 8w mat on the left side and am using a space heater right now


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[soilentgringa]

So i found him last night outside of his shell in the isolation tank, he,s very mich alive and i see his abdomens blueish black. Apparently thats a gland foe molting?

He smells a little bit but is responding when nudged.

I just got another 16w heating mat. Should i place it under the tank? I have a 10gallon with a 8w mat on the left side and am using a space heater right now


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No no the molt sac is a bubble on the side of the crab.

The crab needs to be reshelled asap. Rinse the shell in dechlorinated fresh water and make sure the crab has no bits of substrate stuck to it, pick it up very carefully just behind the head before the soft abdomen, and gently rinse it in the dechlorinated fresh water as well (make sure it’s not cold water. Room temp is fine.) Slide the crab back into the shell and allow it to situate itself.

Sometimes new to us crabs are already very ill or injured in ways we can’t tell, and the conditions were just too poor for them to survive these. We call it “post purchase stress” and unfortunately no matter what we do the crabs don’t survive. Dropping limbs, repeatedly abandoning shells (they become to weak to carry them) and going into the water naked repeatedly after reshelling are all signs that something isn’t right.

Just do the best you can for it to reshell and get isolated, and once it is in a shell don’t handle it for any reason after isolating.


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[Hermiesguardian]

So i found him last night outside of his shell in the isolation tank, he,s very mich alive and i see his abdomens blueish black. Apparently thats a gland foe molting?

He smells a little bit but is responding when nudged.

I just got another 16w heating mat. Should i place it under the tank? I have a 10gallon with a 8w mat on the left side and am using a space heater right now


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Even though they are called under tank heaters for crabs they are never put under the tank.

[GotButterflies]

I am sorry I am just now seeing this message - but if you are in Florida I am willing to help you with your hermit

[msmissy032]

I am not in Florida. Should I re-bury him? The other crabs aren't messing with him.

[Hermiesguardian]

Never rebury a crab. It can suffocate him.

[Plasmoc]

Can you put him back in with the other with the top of a 2 gallon soda bottle (rinsed thoroughly with dechlorinated water) around him? Keep feeding him with the Q tip as suggested above.

Can I ask what area you are in? Maybe someone here is near you and can help.


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[scuttlecrusty22]

Investing in a bigger isolation tank is probably a good idea at this point, if you keep your hermit crab in a small area it's just gonna make matters worse by causing more stress. Even in the iso tank provide at least 3'' of substrate. Play sand (NOT COLORED SAND) and coconut fiber is recommended. Don't cut any corners when it comes to your crabs and NEVER use table salt in place of aquarium salt. Give them many varieties of food not just crab pellets and such, my crabbies love fruit and veggies!!!

[scuttlecrusty22]

Also give them a good selection of shells to change into and NEVER touch them more than you need to. I only touch mine like once every month for like 5 seconds and only for check-ups

[CrabMommaChara]

Any news on the little dude?

[curlysister]

Scuttlecrusty, a separate iso tank isn't always possible or even necessary. A 2L pop bottle or other similar container with ventilation holes is a perfectly acceptable method of isolating a crab.

[scuttlecrusty22]

Yeah I understand that, I was just sugesting (sorry for spelling) that if keeping crabs long term is in mind you might need another tank not just for molting but also for if the crabs get sick or if they fight and can't live in the same tank