crab dead or molting??

[dpotts]

Last friday I added 15 hermit crabs and 15 snails to my fairly new 29g biocube. In the last few days, I've noticed 2 hermit crabs out of thier shell and what looks like dead. There is no actual body attached just the legs and head but no soft body. The really weird thing is, I can't find the empty shells!! Could they have molted then just got back in their shells and went on about thier way? Could I just be seeing the old exoskeletons? Its wierd and kind of disturbing to see little hermit crab skeletons floating around in the current!! One more thing, since the tank is fairly new should I be feeding them or is there enough "stuff" in the tank for them to feed on?

Thanks,
Deanna

[SoLiD]

Most likely molted. Hermit crabs molt all the time. I always see a floater here and there.

-David

[d3rryc]

While I get "floaters" as SoLiD said with some regularity, what's REALLY fun is when you find out a gorilla crab hitchhiked into your tank when you find HIS old skin sitting on your live rock...

[Captain Jack]

If your snails start disappearing, then you probably need to feed the hermits more

[dpotts]

I've had 4 snails die but they died before the crabs got to them. After doing a little reading today, I realized that the 4 that died were Astrea snails...I didn't know you had to help them turn back over if they ended up on their backs!!! I know at least 3 of the 4 died while on their backs! Dumb snails!! I don't think I'll be getting any more of those...don't want to spend my day snail-sitting!

[Captain Jack]

Apparently in their natural habitat, they live their lives without climbing surfaces that are likely to allow them to fall on their back. So technically it's not the snails that are dumb, but us aquarists that fail to provide a suitable environment for their needs.

[dpotts]

So true! There will be no more in my tank. Why do people choose to use them when there are so many other snails to choose from?!

[SoLiD]

Because they do their job as algae grazers so well.