Crab was out of shell-possible fighting, help :/

[HermitCrabAddicted]

So I was laying in bed and kept hearing odd noises coming from the hermit crab tank. I thought I would get up to see what was going on. First I saw one of them climbing the screen lid but then I saw a hermit crab in the salt water pool and he looked odd. I looked closer and all of a sudden he ran and I saw he was she'll-less. I immediately got him out and in a iso container. I didn't see any shells lying around, so I got a couple extra ones and put them in with him. He right away went in one. I'm going to keep him in there for the night and see how he is in the morning. I think another hermit crab maybe forced him out and took his shell, but as I said I didn't see any lying around. I have tons of extra shells for them so that isn't a issue. I'm pretty discouraged, as I just had one hermit crab pass away and now this happened. I've had fighting happen a bit in the past, so I've been thinking of maybe adopting out some crabs to see if that helps, but idk. If anyone has any ideas what I can do, or why this hermit crab did this, I would appreciate it. As I am at a lost right now. I have posted my tank info in many past posts. Thanks.

[Kermie16]

Oh no I remember your other little guy that recently passed. What a shocker that must have been for you! Great job on the quick thinking! I'm trying to remember- you have a 75g tank, right? I don't recall how many hermies you have total. Wondering if anything else in their environment had changed ?


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[bbcraft22]

definitly a shell fight. You might want to seperate the hermit crab from the others for a while so he destresses. Shell fights are really stressful to the crabs (as well to us).

[soilentgringa]

Unless you saw the other crab physically taking this one's shell, please do not assume it was a shell fight.

Crabs will go naked and head to the pools, usually salt water, if they are ill or dying.

They drop their shells because they don't have the energy to carry them.

Crabs going naked is a sign that something is wrong.

Please fill out the emergency template questions.



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[HermitCrabAddicted]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? -Sand and coconut fiber mixture. 8-9in or so

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read? -Humidity is usually around 75-78% and temperature around low to mid 80s

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? -Heat lamps when it gets cold

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)? -Fresh and salt water is available. I use repti-safe for all water. And for the saltwater I use instant ocean salt.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? -vegetables, fruit, protein. Fresh food daily.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? -Purple pincher. And not sure how long I have had him.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? -I'm not sure

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? -75 gallon tank, and screen lid.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? -19, and they range in sizes.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? -To many to count.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? -No

12. How often do you clean the tank and how? -I do maintenance usually once a month or so.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? -No

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? -No

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail. - Stated above

[kieagcarm]

That's a lot of crabbies

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[HermitCrabAddicted]

Yep, I love them

[Kermie16]

How is the little guy doing?


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[HermitCrabAddicted]

Seems to be doing ok. Hes actually one of my bigger hermit crabs, so I've been pretty worried. But hes eating and drinking. I may put him back in the main tank in a day or so if he continues like this.

[Kermie16]

Oh good! Glad he is recovering well!


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[kieagcarm]

Yep, I love them

Can you tell them all apart

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[HermitCrabAddicted]

A couple I can, not all of them though.

[mlakers]

19 crabs in a 75 gallon is quite a lot for that space. If most or all are currently up, and if they aren't all tiny or small, I would say overcrowding crankiness could definitely lead to fighting. They like friends, yes, but only up to a point. If they feel too crowded or as if their resources are spread too thin, just like people they can get territorial.

[Rawrgeous]

Conditions sound pretty good, though I would suggest trying to get your humidity to at least 80, as 75 is on the lower side of the range, and with as many crabs as you have I would deepen your sub to at least 10 inches. I do agree that your tank is pretty full, but there are others that have kept way more in tighter quarters successfully. Not that it is recommended at all, I just don't see any indication that this stemmed from aggression. I believe there are unknown illnesses/ injuries these guys can accrue without us knowing. There are crabs that die with seemingly perfect care. It just happens. I kind of think of it like cancer in humans, it can develop years after exposure to the thing that caused it. I think the same happens from when the crabs are kept in bad conditions sometimes...Just a theory though. Hopefully the crabby pulls through for you! Good luck, and try to keep your head up!

[HermitCrabAddicted]

Yea the humidity is at 80%, for some reason it had gone down some, but I got it back up. Also I was planning on buying more sand for them soon, I used to have 12 inches in there, but somehow it got so low. I have seen people keep a lot more hermit crabs in smaller spaces as you said, and I have been planning to buying another tank soon to separate them up some and give them more room. I have rescued quite a bit in the past, and just accumulated a bit lol.

Do you think this hermit crab would be ok to put back in the main tank? He seems to be doing well, eating and drinking and all. I've just been worried to put him back in the main tank in case something were to happen again. But as I said, he seems to be doing well.