Dead Hermit crab (just a baby)

Discussion in 'Inverts' started by toejam, Oct 24, 2007.

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  1. toejam

    toejam Plankton

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    8
    I found my baby hermit crab dead last night. Looks like he was eaten and his remains are scattered across the bottom next to his shell.

    I've got 2 nassarius snails, 2 zebra turbos, 2 larger hermits and an emerald crab. The victim was considerably smaller than the other crabs.

    My guess is that the emerald crab got hungry. I thought everybody was happy eating diatoms and other algae all over my LR...but I guess it wasn't enough food as it started to clear up...I hadn't been throwing any other food in there - I thought the algae was enough since it seemed to be in abundance 'til just recently...As soon as the diatoms cleared up and everything seemed gtg, I went to the store to buy some starter fish. It was when I was about to add the fish that I noticed the little guy dead...
    I just added two domino damsels and started feeding frozen brine...so hopefully the crabs will get some leftovers...I feel like maybe I was 1 day too late...

    Was I wrong not to feed the crabs any extra food? Did they kill the little guy just because they could?

    :-[
     
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  3. omard

    omard Gnarly Old Codfish

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2003
    Messages:
    4,745
    Location:
    Silverdale, Washington
    Could easily have killed it for some unknown reason. Surprizing any remains left around. Hermits certainly will do in other hermits. To get their shell, eat them or just to show who's boss. Who knows. :-/