HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Ok, looking to see if this has happened to anyone.

Today I swapped a 10 gal tank for a 30 gal tank. My guys like to hide during the day under things and dig, so I was really careful in case anyone was prepping for a molt.

I'm missing a crab. Like, POOF, he's gone. And he was a bigger one too (2 inch shell opening). My kids take care of them so I'm not super observant concerning which shells they are in, so I'm not 100% that the shell was in the tank or the shell he was in disappeared with him (we have a few of the same shells in there).

First, there is NO WAY he could have escaped, but we are searching the house anyway.

I guess I could have scooped him up while out of the shell with some of the substraight. But I was REALLY careful.

What my question is- if he was stressed, went to molt, and was cannibalized- would we find any part of his body? Other than a few smaller legs that we attributed to previous months (and the smaller crabs) there is no sign, no smell, nothing.

I figured there would be a stink and at least the big claws- but maybe not?

Anyone have a crab cannibalize with nothing left?

Crossing my fingers he's Houdini and will walk across the floor, or he is safe in the new tank.

Do you know how many shells total you have in the tank (including shells on crabs)?

If you know the exact number, and you count all the shells, on crabs and off, and they are all in the tank, then it would appear that he died and no longer occupies a shell.

If you are missing a shell, he may have gotten out somehow. You say there is no way he could, but you also say your kids care for the crabs. . . a few moments leaving something open while distracted by something else is all it would take.

The legs that you found, were they hollow exoskeleton, or did they seem to have any "meat" in them?

Danimcleod wrote:Ok, looking to see if this has happened to anyone.

Today I swapped a 10 gal tank for a 30 gal tank. My guys like to hide during the day under things and dig, so I was really careful in case anyone was prepping for a molt.

I'm missing a crab. Like, POOF, he's gone. And he was a bigger one too (2 inch shell opening). My kids take care of them so I'm not super observant concerning which shells they are in, so I'm not 100% that the shell was in the tank or the shell he was in disappeared with him (we have a few of the same shells in there).

First, there is NO WAY he could have escaped, but we are searching the house anyway.

I guess I could have scooped him up while out of the shell with some of the substraight. But I was REALLY careful.

What my question is- if he was stressed, went to molt, and was cannibalized- would we find any part of his body? Other than a few smaller legs that we attributed to previous months (and the smaller crabs) there is no sign, no smell, nothing.

I figured there would be a stink and at least the big claws- but maybe not?

Anyone have a crab cannibalize with nothing left?

Crossing my fingers he's Houdini and will walk across the floor, or he is safe in the new tank.

Hi there!

Did you move only the crabs that were topside? It's important never to dig for crabs unless there is an emergency.

When I set up my 55 gal, I had 4 crabs in my 20 gal that needed to be moved over. It took me a few days to catch 3/4 up and about and move them to the bigger tank. I had one crab, June Bug, who never came up. I waited 6 months before I dug for her (she was small to medium size). She was also the only one left in the 20 gal tank, otherwise I never would have looked. I found a bunch of buried shells, but never her entire body. I found one shell that had (what looked to be) a very tiny piece or two of leg or body. I'm talking super tiny. I'm assuming she never made it through the molt and the others took advantage. I never smelled anything. So it is possible for there to be no body and not smell anything.

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DragonsFly wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 23, 2021 8:41 pm

Do you know how many shells total you have in the tank (including shells on crabs)?

If you know the exact number, and you count all the shells, on crabs and off, and they are all in the tank, then it would appear that he died and no longer occupies a shell.

If you are missing a shell, he may have gotten out somehow. You say there is no way he could, but you also say your kids care for the crabs. . . a few moments leaving something open while distracted by something else is all it would take.

The legs that you found, were they hollow exoskeleton, or did they seem to have any "meat" in them?

Unfortunately we have so many shells in there for choice I am unsure. I'm positive he couldn't have escaped, but still not 100% ruling it out.

Legs seemed to be exoskeletons, no odor either.

Just wondering if the other's could have eaten the ENTIRE crab is he was cannibalized. He was pretty active and looked great last I saw him, but one reason for the move was how big 2 of them were getting- so he might have stressed and molted in the last week.

CrabbyLover77 wrote: ↑

Fri Jul 23, 2021 8:41 pm

Hi there!

Did you move only the crabs that were topside? It's important never to dig for crabs unless there is an emergency.

When I set up my 55 gal, I had 4 crabs in my 20 gal that needed to be moved over. It took me a few days to catch 3/4 up and about and move them to the bigger tank. I had one crab, June Bug, who never came up. I waited 6 months before I dug for her (she was small to medium size). She was also the only one left in the 20 gal tank, otherwise I never would have looked. I found a bunch of buried shells, but never her entire body. I found one shell that had (what looked to be) a very tiny piece or two of leg or body. I'm talking super tiny. I'm assuming she never made it through the molt and the others took advantage. I never smelled anything. So it is possible for there to be no body and not smell anything.

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Well, Even though we have had crabs for years, I'm 100% new at moving them and so since I knew they were annoyingly active at night I figured we were good to go. They do like to dig and get under things during the day- always have, and the ones I 'dug' up were only tucked up under a hollow log. Thanks for that too though. I'll be sure to apply it in the future!

I've never had a death or aggression before, so am unsure of just what happens in that scenario. One reason for the move was due to how big 2 of them are getting and so I didn't want an issue. Looks like it might have happened sometime in the last week or so regardless.

You did answer my question though- if there could be just about nothing left of a crab or smell. I figured the claws would at least be left behind, but it looks like there isn't much of anything if that is what happened.

I'll cross my fingers he will walk across the floor one of these days. lol

Thanks for the help!

Danimcleod wrote:
Well, Even though we have had crabs for years, I'm 100% new at moving them and so since I knew they were annoyingly active at night I figured we were good to go. They do like to dig and get under things during the day- always have, and the ones I 'dug' up were only tucked up under a hollow log. Thanks for that too though. I'll be sure to apply it in the future!

I've never had a death or aggression before, so am unsure of just what happens in that scenario. One reason for the move was due to how big 2 of them are getting and so I didn't want an issue. Looks like it might have happened sometime in the last week or so regardless.

You did answer my question though- if there could be just about nothing left of a crab or smell. I figured the claws would at least be left behind, but it looks like there isn't much of anything if that is what happened.

I'll cross my fingers he will walk across the floor one of these days. lol

Thanks for the help!

You're welcome! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. There is a member on here that adopted a crab that went rogue in someone's basement for 6 weeks until it was found. So it's possible to see him again if he happened to escape!

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Thanks!
If he managed an escape, it's only been about a week so that's positive news to hear that others have experienced luck in finding a live escapee!

Danimcleod wrote:Thanks!
If he managed an escape, it's only been about a week so that's positive news to hear that others have experienced luck in finding a live escapee!

Np! Keep us updated!

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Another scenario is that he passed away during a molt. A crab will decompose quickly in the heat and moist substrate, so that after what seems like not a very long time, there will be nothing remaining.

If there is any possibility he may have escaped, look in small, dark areas, especially places that may be warmer and/or more humid than other areas. Behind or near electrical equipment, near sinks/toilets, in dampish basements, etc.

I remember a story here where a crab went missing, only to be found in the laundry and had gone through a wash cycle!Survivor…or adrenaline junky! Lol


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