Blue Leg Hermit Releasing Live Young

[North Bay 101]

I saw it last night. My family and I came home late, about 10:00pm. The lights were off and the moon light simulator was on. While looking at the tank with my flashlight I saw the blue leg pulling out of its shell. When it was almost all of the way out of it shell I saw a clump about 1/4" in diameter. The crab started pushing its body back into the shell and the young were released. This went on for a couple of minutes and my daughter got to see the whole thing. There must of been a thousand of live young hermit crabs floating around the tank. My clown fish were in heavan eating all that they could find. The young were about the size of newly hatched brine shrimp. It was great to see. Just thought I would share this.

North Bay

[hiddendragonet]

Wow. So, do hermits hatch eggs inside their shells, or what?

Very cool.

[Old Yeller Tang]

My scarlets have done this as well.;)

[North Bay 101]

It appears that they do hatch them inside their shells. The hermit was almost all the way out of it's shell to get the young released. I wished that I could of got a picture of this (I tried but it was worthless).

Has anyone else had this experience and was there any survival?

North Bay

[FatherDougal]

I have 10 blue leg hermits in my tanks and I get a spawning like you describe every week or two. I've only seen one actually releasing the larvae a couple of times - normally I just see the babies themselves.

Unfortunately all the sources I've read say that the larvae have effectively zero chance of survival in an aquarium. Their larval stage lasts something like 6 to 9 months, which is a very long time for a free-swimming critter to survive in a tank without being either eaten or chomped by the blades of a powerhead. :eek:

Just enjoy having seen the event and think of it as free snacks for your clown. :D

[hiddendragonet]

Well, I for one am HAPPY that my hermits are not rearing young to adulthood in my systems. Just what I need, 60,000 more blue legs. :rolleyes:

[RFK]

I had scarlets that did this on a regular basis. They seem to lift their shells and shake the little guys out... about an hour or two after the lights go out.
I wouldn't expect any survivors.

Bob