critter ID

[Don's tank]

Can someone help me ID this creature? It was just laying on the sand near the front of my tank

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

A hermit crab out of his shell

 

[Don's tank]

Thanks. That is what I was thinking, but wasn't sure. Should I just put him back in and hope he finds a new shell or should I put a shell in the small dish in the hope that he crawls in before I put him back in the tank?

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Hate to say, but I honestly don't know. I've always just let nature sort it out in my tank when it comes to that. If he makes it to a new shell, better for him, if not, rest of the cuc handles the job.

 

[cloak]

Are you sure it's not a molt? How does it smell?

 

[Mike_J]

+1 on a molt. The actual hermit is probably hiding in a crevice somewhere, resting.

 

[Maritimer]

If it's not moving, and has a flimsy feel to it, it's probably a molt. Crabs grow a new skin, walk out of their old shell (not the snail shell, though they trade that out as well), and expand the new one before it hardens.

I'd guess you'll soon find your hermit wandering about and doing hermit things in a new set of clothes.

~Bruce

 

[Don's tank]

I'm going to show my ignorance here... what's a molt? Is it something I want to keep out of the tank?

 

[Vol]

I'm going to show my ignorance here... what's a molt? Is it something I want to keep out of the tank?

Inverts 'shed' their exoskeleton to allow for more room to grow. Normally happens on a new moon. Not an issue, just the old tissue

 

[NakiFantaki]

That's a molt for sure!

 

[Don's tank]

thank you.

 

[cracker]

Agreed a molt . Never saw a hermit out of his shell. well Iv'e seen one stick his butt from one to another shell.

 

[JayBee26]

This guy and a whole bunch of his friends come out when the lights go out and bury back in the sand when they go on... they move sort of like shrimp do...anyone

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Amphipod. Good cuc for detritus and free food for some fish.

 

[JayBee26]

where does it come from

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Hitchhiker or introduced.

 

[Maritimer]

Might have come in on liverock, a coral frag, chaetomorpha ... almost anywhere. They're pretty ubiquitous.

~Bruce

 

[JayBee26]

K...thanks