Baby Hermits?

[Xena47r]

Hi all! I just watched one of my hermits exchange shells. As it moved from one to the other, I noticed that it had a bunch of black balls on its back. Could this be eggs and if so, is there anything I can do to help the babies survive or will they get sucked up by the skimmer eventually?

BTW, I have been perusing the various pictures of tanks here and if I can successfully see my way through to half the likeness, I will consider it a miracle!

Thanks!

[Samper]

I searched around for a while before I found this information. If it is correct your females eggs won't ever do anything but read away. http://biologyweb.org/hermit.htm

The reproductive organs of hermit crabs are located near and just below the
crab’s heart and open to the outside at the base of the last pair of walking
legs in the male. In the female, they’re located at the base of the middle pair of walking legs. Female hermit crabs usually lay their eggs shortly after copulating, however they can also store sperm for many months. The eggs are fertilized as they are laid by passing through the chamber holding the sperm. The eggs are carried and hatched in a mass attached to the abdomen inside the shell. The number of eggs is usually large, but depends on the crab’s size. The developing crabs go through four stages, two of which (the baupilus and protozoea) occur while still in the egg. Most crabs hatch at the third stage, the zoea. This is a larvae stage wherein the crab has several long spines, a long narrow abdomen, and large fringed antennae. The fourth stage of development is the magelops. Hermit crabs are usually born in the ocean, near the shore. Because of this, hermit crabs cannot reproduce in captivity. After the crabs are born, they move inland away from the water, where they search for abandoned shells to inhabit. Hermit crabs then begin growing and developing through a process call molting. In this process, the crabs sheds their exoskeleton. During this, the crabs are extremely vulnerable and inactive, and usually find protection by burrowing in the ground. It takes around 10 days for their new exoskeleton to harden, and during this period the crab is able to regenerate any lost or broken claws or legs. A hermit crab can molt as often as every other month when they’re young, or every 18 months when they’re older. The life span of the hermit crab in the wild is up to 30 years, while those in captivity live 15 years at the most

[Samper]

Also found this link which says something opposite. http://www.hermhtcrabhappy.moonfruit.com/
Read it also.
Anyone here have any real experience with this subject?

[Sueet]

Hmm... That first link you provided doesn't seem to be making a point of the different types of hermits... at one point it says

"In captivity, hermit crabs liked to be played with frequently. They also enjoy bath and being dipped in the water. However, do not leave a crab submerged in water for more than 5 minutes because they can drown."

This obviously does not apply to marine crabs..... I think the second link is likely correct, but it would be difficult to provide the proper "beach" type of layout in a regular tank...also, the tiny shells might be difficult to come by unless one lives near the ocean and has the patience to collect such tiny bits out of the sand... I can see a possibility of maybe a large tub or something, with sand higher on one side, sloping into the water on the other... But that is probably more trouble than it would be worth for most people.

[Ninong]

The first link was to a school paper (high school???) and concerned the genus Cenobita, which I believe is a terrestrial hermit crab genus.

Hermit Crab

Sim B. Janay W. Cassie P. Ashley T.

4th Period

I. Scientific name /Common Name(s)

Cenobita (sp.)/ Hermit Crab

The second link was to a high school teacher's personal hobby web page and includes her observations about both marine and terrestrial species of hermit crabs.

Both links have to be taken for what they are, especially the first one. That's not to say that there is necessarily any misinformation in either, but caveat emptor -- consider the source. There are numerous sites online that are "more professional."

[Samper]

my bad............

[Xena47r]

[QUOTE=Samper]I searched around for a while before I found this information. If it is correct your females eggs won't ever do anything but read away. http://biologyweb.org/hermit.htm

Aww, I got all excited too! After reading the article, I am still somewhat confused. In this article and others similar, they state that the eggs are carried underneath the abdomen whereas the 'balls' I saw were on her back near her tail end. Could this be something entirely different?

Thanks so much for all the info.

[Samper]

Well I searched for a little while before I found the information that I found, apparently I don't have the resources that Ninong has. Maybe he can enlighten you in a more "professional" way.

[Ninong]

If you are looking for an authoritative source of information on marine biology, I suggest you try the various U.S. and Australian academic websites and the various Australian government websites. The University of California Berkeley is an invaluable source but it is difficult to search. The California Academy of Sciences is another great resource with a great listing of who's who and who's doing what in which field. This comes in handy when you are trying to identify a fish species that has not yet been named.

You could look in the Journal of Crustacean Biology if you really wanted authoritative answers but that would require a trip to your local college library or municipal library (assuming you live in a large city): http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?reques...e=03&page=0474 http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?reques...P%3E2.0.CO%3B2


Anyway, here is what the Australian Museum has to say about hermit crab reproduction: http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/crust/hermbiol.html

[Ninong]

Well I searched for a little while before I found the information that I found, apparently I don't have the resources that Ninong has. Maybe he can enlighten you in a more "professional" way.

If you have a computer with access to google, you have the exact same resources that I have.

[Xena47r]

If you are looking for an authoritative source of information on marine biology, I suggest you try the various U.S. and Australian academic websites and the various Australian government websites. The University of California Berkeley is an invaluable source but it is difficult to search. The California Academy of Sciences is another great resource with a great listing of who's who and who's doing what in which field. This comes in handy when you are trying to identify a fish species that has not yet been named.

You could look in the Journal of Crustacean Biology if you really wanted authoritative answers but that would require a trip to your local college library or municipal library (assuming you live in a large city): http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?reques...e=03&page=0474 http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?reques...P%3E2.0.CO%3B2


Anyway, here is what the Australian Museum has to say about hermit crab reproduction: http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/crust/hermbiol.html

Ok, neither really specifies here that the eggs are on the top or bottom so it is conceivable that they are actually eggs. Most likely not viable in an aquarium setting. Too bad, would have been neat to witness such an event! Pretty cool since I have only had them for a couple of weeks and the tank is only into its late third week!
Thanks all for your help. I truly am learning so much about the marine environment. Still have so much more to learn but it is all so fascinating!

[Ninong]

Ok, neither really specifies here that the eggs are on the top or bottom so it is conceivable that they are actually eggs. Most likely not viable in an aquarium setting. Too bad, would have been neat to witness such an event! Pretty cool since I have only had them for a couple of weeks and the tank is only into its late third week!
Thanks all for your help. I truly am learning so much about the marine environment. Still have so much more to learn but it is all so fascinating!

I looked up hermit crabs in TMCRA-3 but for every single marine species in the chapter the item "Reproduction" is followed by the words "Details unknown."

[Xena47r]

I looked up hermit crabs in TMCRA-3 but for every single marine species in the chapter the item "Reproduction" is followed by the words "Details unknown."

lol...well in that case, I'll have to make my own observations and write something up.....I wonder if oysters would help them... ;;

[Sueet]

I wonder if oysters would help them