Hermits?

[bamacj5]

i purchased 10 hermits about two weeks ago, they have been doing fine they eat all the algea and any food that hits the sand , about two days ago one was pulled out of his shell or climbed out for what ever reason and died, i removed him but left his shell, there are other shells in the tank for them to move into,this morning during water change and cleaning i removed two other hermit bodies,now heres the weired part i still have 9 active hermit crabs and can only find the one shell from the dead hermit i removed 2 days ago, anybody got any thoughts?

 

[teresaq]

are you sure they arent molts. They look like the crabs themselves
T

 

[nofishnplease]

Originally Posted by BAMACJ5
http:///forum/post/3001688
i purchased 10 hermits about two weeks ago, they have been doing fine they eat all the algea and any food that hits the sand , about two days ago one was pulled out of his shell or climbed out for what ever reason and died, i removed him but left his shell, there are other shells in the tank for them to move into,this morning during water change and cleaning i removed two other hermit bodies,now heres the weired part i still have 9 active hermit crabs and can only find the one shell from the dead hermit i removed 2 days ago, anybody got any thoughts?
i have bought hermits b4 and two were in one shell

 

[natclanwy]

Hermits molt and the skeleton they leave behind looks identicle to a live hermit out of its shell. I am 99.9% positive what you are pulling out is the shed skeletons not dead hermits.

 

[bamacj5]

good possibility, come to think of it they didnt have the rear body section that the dead one did, i guess molting is the only possibility, two crabs in a shell, im sure it has happened but i inspected each crab before i bought, thats the only rule ive stuck to is checking every thing befor i buy it, i appreciat both responses, another question what is the life span of a hermit in the tank

 

[natclanwy]

I have read that they can live 10+ years, I have a single Zebra hermit that has been in my tank for about 4 years.

 

[bamacj5]

thanx for the info i remember when i was a kid the land hermits we use to keep would last about 2 years, thankyou everyone for the help

 

[natclanwy]

Land hermits can live up to 25 years.

 

[socal57che]

I have 3 scarlet hermits that are going on 5 years and a couple Hawaiian zebras that are about 3 years. This is just how long I have had them. I don't know how long they were alive before being harvested from the ocean.
Oh yeah, and like they said...you have molts.