Hermit Crab - White Legs?

PotatoPig

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 7, 2023
Messages
1,157
Reaction score
1,135
Location
USA
What state or country do you live in
Virginia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I picked up a few hermit crabs at the LFS and while in QT I noticed two of them have white legs. At first I assumed this was a fresh/pending molt, but it’s been a few weeks now and no change. The other ones are very clearly blue legged and doing fine.

Are these crabs sick or just a different type of hermit? They all seem about the same size, similar behavior, and haven’t seen any aggression between them.
 
Do they have blue eye? I would get these in assorted hermit crab lots and always loved them. They seem to stay smaller than the red legs, but other than that, similar behavior and never noticed them to a pest specifically.
 
Can you attach pictures?
Here we go, should have done this to start…

This one’s shell also seems to have a shell.

IMG_9068.jpeg


 
Here we go, should have done this to start…

This one’s shell also seems to have a shell.

IMG_9068.jpeg


The second shell is probably a hoof snail or similar - harmless literal hitchhikers that ride around on snails and hermits’ shells eating either their host’s waste or whatever food the host brings them into range of eating.
 
So I picked up a few hermit crabs at the LFS and while in QT I noticed two of them have white legs. At first I assumed this was a fresh/pending molt, but it’s been a few weeks now and no change. The other ones are very clearly blue legged and doing fine.

Are these crabs sick or just a different type of hermit? They all seem about the same size, similar behavior, and haven’t seen any aggression between them.
looks like clibanarius species often called white leg hermits. The shell object may be calcareous build up or typical bump on many shells as below

1691804933035.png
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%

New Posts

Back
Top