Hermit molted, now pale?

[Becca24]

Well my hermit crab reappeared after molting and he is now more pale. I’m pretty worried. He’s very active, but I’m worried he might be sick. I added extra calcium to hopefully darken him up. Any ideas? Thanks!

[aussieJJDude]

Is this the first moult under your care? It's pretty typical that the first moult, they may come up pale. Usually it's due to poor diet during the shipping process (or being kept in the store).

While calcium is a major component of the exoskeleton, it doesn't really contribute to colour. Beta carotene is one example compound that gives crabs their colouration, which is typically found on coloured fruits/veggies (Carrots, capsicums, Blueberries I believe as well for example) and things like fish and shrimp. Feeding a varied diet ensures all food groups are getting targeted, and hopefully in the next couple of moults, it should darken up.


(Also keep in mind, smaller/younger crabs typically aren't as coloured as larger crabs. So it may also be a maturity thing)

[Becca24]

Is this the first moult under your care? It's pretty typical that the first moult, they may come up pale. Usually it's due to poor diet during the shipping process (or being kept in the store).

While calcium is a major component of the exoskeleton, it doesn't really contribute to colour. Beta carotene is one example compound that gives crabs their colouration, which is typically found on coloured fruits/veggies (Carrots, capsicums, Blueberries I believe as well for example) and things like fish and shrimp. Feeding a varied diet ensures all food groups are getting targeted, and hopefully in the next couple of moults, it should darken up.


(Also keep in mind, smaller/younger crabs typically aren't as coloured as larger crabs. So it may also be a maturity thing)

I believe he has molted before. I’ve had him for about a year. I have about 30 different dried foods and mixes I cycle through. I had 4 pretty small crabs in a 10 gallon. I moved him over to my 40 gallon tank I set up about a week ago. So hopefully this will give him more room to not compete for food.

[aussieJJDude]

Do you feed other foods besides dried? While dried offers good nutrients depending on what's in the mix, providing fresh foods in conjunction with dried will produce the best results. A lot of nutrients is lost in food when it's dried.

[Becca24]

I do! I usually have a couple veggies and some fresh berries I give them. Is moving to a new cage a stressful thing for a crab? The transfer only took a minute. But maybe the area has something to do with it.

[aussieJJDude]

New cages while stressful, would not lead to such drastic changes. Do you also feed fresh meats as well, if not, then that could also be an issue as mentioned prior.

[Becca24]

I usually cook eggs and give them that. Would you recommend anything else? Also it needs to have no spices and should be cooked right?

[Becca24]

New cages while stressful, would not lead to such drastic changes. Do you also feed fresh meats as well, if not, then that could also be an issue as mentioned prior.

I usually cook eggs and give them that. Would you recommend anything else? Also also any meat needs to have no spices and should be cooked right? I’m just so worried that I somehow messed things up. I really want these guys to have a good life.

[aussieJJDude]

Shrimp, fish, beef, chicken ect. Doesn't have to be good grade, off cuts are fine and appreciated by the crabs. Cooking helps reduce bacteria, which is far more harmful to us rather than the crabs, but cooked/uncooked is fine. Proper hygiene should already be taken when working in/around the tank anyway.....

Food list (found in the guides and FAQ) is a great source, basically any meat we eat, crabs will love too!

[Becca24]

Shrimp, fish, beef, chicken ect. Doesn't have to be good grade, off cuts are fine and appreciated by the crabs. Cooking helps reduce bacteria, which is far more harmful to us rather than the crabs, but cooked/uncooked is fine. Proper hygiene should already be taken when working in/around the tank anyway.....

Food list (found in the guides and FAQ) is a great source, basically any meat we eat, crabs will love too!

Thanks for all your help!
My other crab that just appeared above ground is a dark purple. Just wondered what happened with the pale one.