Hermit Crab Exoskeleton

[MontanaRocknReefer]

I took a couple of pics of my hermit after it had molted and left the exoskeleton behind:

 

[Mouse]

Check out the size of that claw man.

Are you sure tht guys not predetary, his claws look bigger than its head by a long way, and there's only a couple of reasons why he would need such a thing, squishing little fishys heeeeeeeds

sory i cant tell you what it is but that aint no blue leg..... Anyone care to try

 

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Mouse: Believe me this hermit is a very mellow fellow for my reef. I have had it for months and it has molted 4 times and has not bother anything in the reef. Johnny

 

[Mouse]

cool, didn't se your number of post's etc. But on the other hand you never can be too carefull, especially when that hand happens to be a huge claw.

Nice hermet though

 

[Doughboy]

I have the same thing. Very huge but a gentle giant. I'm not sure of the species though.

 

[ohammer]

That looks like a *Calcinus laevimanus* (left-handed hermit) to me. They are supposedly herbivorous, and the claw is not for eating fish. Rather, it works as a kind of door to close the shell for protection.

Or so I've been told.


Dr. Oyvind Hammer
University of Oslo

 

[Doughboy]

Thanks for the ID Dr, but I'm not sure about the herbivor part. I've seen mine eating a piece of krill that fell to the bottom.

 

[Odd Ball]

I have 2 of these hermits in my tank right
now. Mine is a little larger than yours I think. Judging from the pic anyway.

As the Doc mentioned, they do use that claw
for protection. Mine lives inside a Turbo
snail's shell. A rather large one at that. Half the time I'm not sure how he moves it around - anyway, another story. He climbed on my Elegance one time, I got madd, knoced him off, and right away that claw covers the enterance to his shell...

When I bought mine it was sold to me as a Zebra hermit. Something along the lines of the black and white claw markings.

Don't know more than that, but I've had him for over 2 years now and he's not hurt anything. Mostly a scavenger and eats vegies that I can see.

Regards,

 

[MontanaRocknReefer]

Thanks everyone for your replys. I now believe it to be Calcinus laevimanus(left-handed hermit crab). Johnny

 

[Jrsydevi1]

You DO realize that the Latin word for left-handed is SINISTER....hehe.. keep your eye on him.. that's one BIG club he's sportin'...