Hermit Crabs suddenly dying

Sick_man · Oct 17, 2020

So i have a 20 gallon with about 10 hermits and theyve been doing a great job at cleaning up the frags from algae but all the sudden half of them died and they were only 2 months old. The fish and the corals are doing great, even the super sensitive goni. I tested the water and its 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate, 9.9 Kh, .15 phos, dont have calcium or magnesium test yet. I really have new clue as to how they died but I think a possibility is that they may have starved? There is plenty of algae on some rocks for them though. Any clues as to how they died?

KrisReef · Oct 17, 2020

I don't know. Are they "dead" or are the shells now empty (something ate them)

Did you use coral dip (Bayer) recently? I've had inverts get poisoned when I failed to rinse well when using Bayer.

Sorry, hth.

Sick_man · Oct 17, 2020

KrisReef said:
I don't know. Are they "dead" or are the shells now empty (something ate them)

Did you use coral dip (Bayer) recently? I've had inverts get poisoned when I failed to rinse well when using Bayer.

Sorry, hth.

Nope, i have not dipped anything or added stuff into the tank for a while. Half of their body is hanging out the shell for most of them. I found some outside their shells dead on the sand. (it was not molt)

leighla wolf · Oct 17, 2020

I had this happen once. It turned out one of the hermits was SUPER aggressive and went on rampage rounds where even though I provided a ton of different shells, when he’d run into another hermit, he’d rip them out of theirs to check out their shell and every empty shell he came across too... but he’d never change shells!

I ended up throwing him in the sump and suddenly no more dead hermits. Maybe sit and watch your tank and see if something similar is “bullying” them.

Sick_man · Oct 17, 2020

leighla wolf said:
I had this happen once. It turned out one of the hermits was SUPER aggressive and went on rampage rounds where even though I provided a ton of different shells, when he’d run into another hermit, he’d rip them out of theirs to check out their shell and every empty shell he came across too... but he’d never change shells! I ended up throwing him in the sump and suddenly no more dead hermits. Maybe sit and watch your tank and see if something similar is “bullying” them.

yeah i noticed there was a big one trying to fight the other ones but the big one just died so idk

Sick_man · Oct 17, 2020

The big one just revived itself. I saw part of his body out his shell and he was not moving earlier. idk how but hes eating algae off a snail right now.

vetteguy53081 · Oct 17, 2020

What fish do you have in the tank ?
Also, what is your salinity reading and nitrate reading ?

Sick_man · Oct 17, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
What fish do you have in the tank ?
Also, what is your salinity reading and nitrate reading ?

2 clown, 1 firefish, 1 gramma,
salinity 1.025
nitrate 10

vetteguy53081 · Oct 17, 2020

Sick_man said:
2 clown, 1 firefish, 1 gramma,
salinity 1.025
nitrate 10

Nitrate up a little. Any stray voltage ?
The fish obviously cant tahe down hermits.

SMSREEF · Oct 17, 2020

My guess is that they may have starved. Do you let food drop to the bottom for them? I turn my powerheads off when I feed so the hermits all can find something.

Sick_man · Oct 17, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
Nitrate up a little. Any stray voltage ?
The fish obviously cant tahe down hermits.

tbh i dont know what that is but the only things plugged into the tank are a canister filter, hang on back filter, heater, and light.

Sick_man · Oct 17, 2020

SMSREEF said:
My guess is that they may have starved. Do you let food drop to the bottom for them? I turn my powerheads off when I feed so the hermits all can find something.

Ive been feeding flakes instead of the sinking pellets. The clownfish are aggressive when they see pellets and nobody else has a chance to eat but with the flakes it is more dispersed. You may be right about them starving.

SMSREEF · Oct 17, 2020

Sick_man said:
Ive been feeding flakes instead of the sinking pellets. The clownfish are aggressive when they see pellets and nobody else has a chance to eat but with the flakes it is more dispersed. You may be right about them starving.

Maybe feed flakes and pellets at the same time and let some of the pellets drop to the bottom. Or you can buy a couple small clams at the grocery and freeze them. Drop a piece of frozen clam in every few days.