Nesting Hermit Crab

tankwife · 03/07/2018, 04:24 PM

Hi. We have a red hermit crab in our reef tank. We've had it for about a year and we do have a bunch of extra shells for it and it has changed shells twice that we know of. Yesterday it started building what looks like a nest in the substrate in the tank. It did not come out for food yesterday, very unusual. Any thoughts as to what is going on with it? I understand they don't reproduce in captivity, so I'm worried.

Uncle99 · 03/08/2018, 12:55 PM

All crabs molt, when they do they are supceptible to predators until the new molt hardens.
Maybe just laying low?

tankwife · 03/08/2018, 04:13 PM

Thank you. Hopefully that is it.

03/07/2018, 04:24 PM	#1
tankwife Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2	Nesting Hermit Crab Hi. We have a red hermit crab in our reef tank. We've had it for about a year and we do have a bunch of extra shells for it and it has changed shells twice that we know of. Yesterday it started building what looks like a nest in the substrate in the tank. It did not come out for food yesterday, very unusual. Any thoughts as to what is going on with it? I understand they don't reproduce in captivity, so I'm worried.

03/08/2018, 12:55 PM	#2
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	All crabs molt, when they do they are supceptible to predators until the new molt hardens. Maybe just laying low?

03/08/2018, 04:13 PM	#3
tankwife Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 2	Thank you. Hopefully that is it.