Possible Fighting?

[HermieGuy]

Hi, I just brought home a new medium-sized purple pincher last night and isolated him in my tank overnight. This morning I let him out of the isolation area (part of a clean, washed-out milk jug) and let him explore more of the tank.

He started digging and taking dips in the salt bath, and even tried on a new shell. Then he found my other crab's cave under the coconut hut and peeked in. I left the room my tank was in for about an hour, then came back in to check on the crabs, and I saw Scuttle (my older crab) naked in his cave with the new crab in his shell!

I left for a few minutes to go do something and that quick, Scuttle was back in his shell and the new crab was back in his original shell.

Are my crabs fighting over shells? I have plenty of other shells for them in my tank. Both of my crabs are about the same size, so I don't understand why they'd be fighting if it's size-related.

[HermieGuy]

The new crab must've torn off part of Scuttle's leg. I know that Scuttle dropped part of his leg a few weeks ago, but I found another leg segment above the substrate and I saw poor Scuttle moving around in a tiny cramped shell with two leg segments missing! The new crab took over Scuttle's shell and his cave, so I definitely think the new crab is a bit of a bully...

There's plenty of space in my 10 gallon tank and MORE than enough shells of different sizes available. I don't know why my new crab is being so harsh towards Scuttle. Do I isolate the new crab longer?

[curlysister]

What kind of shell was the one that was stolen? Do you have a few that are the same in the tank?

I would isolate them until you can get it figured out.

[HermieGuy]

Scuttle's shell was a non-painted shell that I picked up off the ground while at a beach last year (this was the shell he moved into after he left his painted shell). The new crab's original shell was also non-painted.

I don't have any shells similar to the shell that was stolen, but there's 3 shells similar to the shell that my new crab was in when I brought him home, and Scuttle's currently crammed in one of those.

I do have a smaller area I can move my new crab into temporarily, but it's a small wired cage. Would that still be okay to use?

[curlysister]

No, don't move him into a wire cage where you can't maintain heat and humidity.

What type of shell is the old crab in? What types are you offering? Can you post photos? You might need to order some of the same type of shells, if the new guy wants that type.

[HermieGuy]

I don't know exactly what type of shell it is and I don't know how to post photos here on a phone, but the shell is spiky and has a side where it's long and pointed.

I did find a way to isolate my new crab without moving him, though. I got a wooden board that was tall enough to prevent him from climbing over or digging under, and put that in my tank, so the space in my tank is now split into 2, with my old crab on one side and my new crab on the other.

[curlysister]

You can post a photo either with the Tapa Talk app, or using a file sharing site.

[HermieGuy]

I think they've stopped fighting over shells now, but I noticed that my new crab is too small for Scuttle's old shell. He did start digging a cave, so he might be getting ready for a molt so he can grow into it.

I'm also unsure if Scuttle will be able to regrow his legs or not. Will they grow back over time or will they grow back the next time he molts?

[curlysister]

Legs will only grow back during molting.