hard to find info on saltwater hermit crabs...

[robdog696]

I've never used a clean up crew before. I've had a few snails, but never hermit crabs or emerald crabs. Well, since adding them to my tank Monday, I've found 3 of what seem to be dead crabs. The odd thing as that none of them have had an empty shell nearby. Do hermit crabs molt? If so, does their molt look like a brown fleshy teeny tiny squid? LOL! I really can't keep count of them, but if they ARE dieing I think I'm going to have to buy a new test kit. I am using a API, and I keep getting perfect test results.

 

[texasmetal]

Most likely molting and finding a new shell. Inverts that molt will go into hiding after they molt until their new outer shell hardens.
When emerald crabs molt you will probably find completely intact emeralds and the only way to really tell sometimes is by smelling them. No smell, molt. Bad smell, dead crab.

 

[robdog696]

Yeah, they're definitely the hermits, not the emeralds. Forgot to mention that part. Just not sure if they were corpses or molts. I didn't think to smell them before disposing of them.