Hermit skeleton

After a hermit molts does it leave an empty skeleton then goes and finds a new shell.

 

It leaves an empty skeleton, but may or may not go for a new shell.

 

The hermit will grow of it's shell eventually. If you want to keep them, I would have extra shells in the tank. You can get them at the LFS or in bunches on eBay. It took a few weeks to find a good shell for mine. He had outgrown is old shell and had tried the others I put in there, they were just a little too big or a little too small. I finally found the perfect shell for a buck while at the LFS for live rock. I put it in, he crawled in and has not come out since (that I have seen!!!).

 

Yes Pharjohn is right--there is nothing they enjoy more then checking out new shells, trying to find just the right one. Kind of like us ladies when we shop! LOL;D

 

The lfs give the shells away. I always have tons in the tank. This is for two reasons. The hermits to find new homes and the second is that I like the way it looks.

 

My LFS is clueless. When I asked about shells, they asked me why would I want some. Fortunately I had a lot from years gone by of shell hunting.