Crab molted overnight...literally!

[Picassoclown]

Hello everyone,

I recently added 2 clownfish and 2 hermit crabs on the 8th of June. I had a hermit crab act weird since the 9th, yesterday morning I found him molting. I just finished cycling a tank the week prior to adding any of these inhabitants . I am quite shocked. Anyone have this experience before? Is this normal? My water parameters are all at 0 (with the exception of nitrate, around 10-20ppm). How soon do I need to add a new shell for this guy? I have some arriving on Friday.

Also, how often should I had shells for hermit crabs, in general? Thanks everyone!

 

[blaxsun]

It's possible was already in the process of being about to molt when you got him. I always like to keep a few shells of different sizes for the hermits to "test drive".

 

[homer1475]

Many inverts will molt in a day or 2 of being added to a new tank. Or if you do a WC with water that is completely different then what they are used to.

 

[Picassoclown]

Thanks for the responses! He won't die by the time the new shells arrive will he?

 

[Pvtgloss]

Many inverts will molt in a day or 2 of being added to a new tank. Or if you do a WC with water that is completely different then what they are used to.

Makes sense. My cleaner shrimp molted within 48 hours of coming home. Freaked my daughter out, lol.

 

[ying yang]

Thanks for the responses! He won't die by the time the new shells arrive will he?

Won't die because waiting few days for a new shell.
Keep parameters In acceptable range and as stable as you can and aslong as no fish have him as a snack and you acclimated him good ( even though some say hermit crabs could live in an ashtray and just put straight in tank lol ) I always temp aclimate mine floating in bag for 15-20 minutes then 30-45 minute drip aclimination just because its recommended and makes sense to me and never lost a hermit from this way,I've lost a few snails in first day as some just slow moving after acliminastion to my tank water and then a hermit or devil cleaner shrimp finished it off lol.
But having spare shells is just to give them option of getting a bigger shell as they molt/grow so few days till you get them shouldn't be a problem at all imo.
Even though I've always had multiple spare shells in tank for hermits to choose,still occasionally get a hermit attacking and killing a snail just for its shell,sometimes they eat a bit first and sometimes just kill snail and rip remains of snail out then take shell and other hermits eat the snail so now got 4 hermits that reside in the sump for their murderous ways ha ha

 

[Lyss]

Thanks for the responses! He won't die by the time the new shells arrive will he?

Is he out of a shell entirely? Mine just go back into their old shells if they don't like any they find. I would assume if it molted and there were no new shells it would just go back into the old shell.

 

[Picassoclown]

He is not out of the shell at all. He goes back inside when I get near the glass lol. The other 1 has no fear, but he hasn't molted as of yet. Thanks Lyss and Yang yang for your feedback. I feel better that he will be fine until I get the shells for him