Shell locked

[mrossi22x]

I have 6-8 inches of play sand, mixed with coco fiber.
The gauge is located in the upper left corner and reads anywhere between 70-80% humid and 70-80 degrees.
No heat source
Fresh and salt water available. Salt water mixed with instant ocean, and fresh is purified water.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are given and cleaned out daily.
Have had them for 3 weeks, purple claws.
No molt yet.
10 or 15 gallon glass aquarium with screen top.
We have 5 ranging from small to medium
6 extra shells available in various sizes, non painted
No fumes or chems
Havent cleaned yet
Sponges cleaned with purified water. so now for the emergency.... one of the medium sized crabs (Bob)had been holding one of the smaller crabs (Marley)shell for a few days. it didnt seem agressive and from doing researched seemed as though they were mating. since the process takes time we left them alone. it has now been about a week, and the smaller is gone and Bob is still clutching Marleys empty shell. Please help!

[soilentgringa]

Is Bob alive?

They need protein and calcium sources. Without these they will cannibalize each other. Proper nutrition is essential to their survival.

What sort of guage do you have?

What kind of shells? Are they the preferred shells? If not they will fight over them.



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[soilentgringa]

I highly recommend reading the care guides. 10 gallons is just too small for 5 crabs.

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 51&t=92457

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[hermitcrabdc]

Hi there!
First off, I'd like to suggest a larger aquarium. A tank that size with 5 crabs is very overcrowded. This can cause aggression and molting difficulties.
You should also think about getting some more shells. 6 isn't that many, especially with 5 crabs. What kind of shells are you offering? The hermit crabs you have typically like green turbos, tapestry turbos, etc.
What happened to Marley? Did he switch into a new shell or did he pass?
Is the crab in question eating or drinking at all? Has he moved at all?
Also, I'm curious how your tank is staying warm without a heat source. Like SG asked, what gauge do you have? Some are not very reliable and your tank may be a lot cooler than you think.

[Hermiesguardian]

You should provide 3 shells per crab so they have a good choice.

[mrossi22x]

Yes Bob is alive. But he will not let go of the shell. We do offer eggshells and peanut butter as well as the fruits and veg. The shells offered are mostly tapestry turbos. We will get more shells. The gauge we use is a combo Grreat Choice brand. As far as tank size, I was just guessing. It's a hand me down. We don't know where Marley is. I can attach pics, if I knew how

[mrossi22x]

I forgot to mention the other 2 are molting.

[hermitcrabdc]

Is Bob eating? Or is has been holding the shell for several days?

[mrossi22x]

I honestly don't know. So, someone has been eating as there are egg shell crumbles and put in two black beans this morning and one is gone. I haven't seen him move from his spot. He's definitely alive and got his feelers out and claw open. I'm at a loss. He was such a sweet, friendly crab and now he's just acting weird.

[soilentgringa]

They need animal and insect protein.

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[hermitcrabdc]

Hermit crabs are generally very weird, and this could be his "normal" lol. I can't see an issue unless he stops moving and doesn't eat. Otherwise I agree with SG and if I were you I would focus on getting some more shells and a larger tank

[mrossi22x]

Okay!!! Thank you very much!!! I'll get on that ASAP
Thank you! Myself and my family adore them and want them happy and healthy!

[JoeHermits]

You can look online for used tanks to save some money. It doesn’t need to be water tight, so you can get some really good deals if you look around (we in the States tend to use Craigslist).

[mrossi22x]

so, Bob is still holding on to the shell. one week after we brought him home he had switched shells twice and had been in his current shell since. we did add some other shells we had that are slightly larger. yet he still is clutching the smaller shell. we thought maybe he was stuck so we tried getting the shell away from him, but he is only grabbing it tighter. we are very confused. thanks again for all the help

[mrossi22x]

so, we took bob out to play and he was awesome! When we put him back in, he decided to switch, he is a weirdo and happy as a hermit.