Hello All...need some help

I have came here many times before looking for information and have always found what I needed.

I have a 55 gallon tank that is currently a FOWLR...hopefully be upgrading to a full reef tank in time. I've got 2 4 stripe damsels, 2 yellowtail damsels, 2 tomato clowns, a orange spotted goby, a yellow tang, and a coral beauty...nothing crazy. I also have a sand sifting start, serpent star, sea cucumber, and fire shrimp.

In the last two weeks I have come across two dead hermits. Completely separated from their shells and found only the claws with a little bit of meat left on them. I'm not sure what is getting to them. I know I have some bristle worms and right now that they are the prime suspects...but I don't know.

My chem levels are good. My Fire shrimp just molted a couple days ago so iodine is good.

Any idea what could be going on?

 

Welcome to 3Reef!!!

Have you made empty shells available to your hermits? When they grow, they have to switch to bigger shells. They will leave their current shell if it's too small.

 

Could it possibly just be that they are molting? I thought I was losing some but after a quick count I still have the same number moving around, they were just molting.

 

Does sound like a possible molt, count em in a couple days to see. Usually its the snails that end up empty for new homes for the hermit crabs.

 

There are several shells available.

I was hoping it was a molt, but after examining the remains it doesn't appear to be that.

 

I cant say for sure but I have had a similar prob. I have concluded that it is most likely my fire shrimp since the remains always seem to be by his cave

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

I never suspected the Fire Shrimp...but the remains have been close to his cave both times...but I like him too much to blame him, lol.

 

Haha yeah Im exactly the same way. I think he is responsible for at least 3 crabs, a CB shrimp, and prob 5-10 turbos but hes just so awesome that I forgive him :-/

 

Hello and welcome to 3reef

 

Welcome to 3reef. I have witnessed hermits killing another hermit for its shell even though there are plenty of empty shells in the tank.