HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So I realize I've only had my 5 crabs for 9 days, but my most active one just did something weird. Last night I mixed the THCP basic diet with a seafood mix to entice them out of hiding. Hawkeye came out for a bit. He's seems to be the only active one so far and last night was no exception. I felt good hearing him because I thought he was eating. This morning I checked the tank and found some weird changes. Hawkeye was hiding underneath the coconut hut, but the salt water dish was practically empty! Mind you I fill both water dishes to the brim every night. This is what I woke up to. (The blue dish is the salt water dish. The green dish is the fresh water).
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1u08ihsf78pz7 ... 7.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/u5b8ddqz1kgbj ... 8.JPG?dl=0

I changed their saltwater to Instant Ocean stuff last night. I checked the dish for leaks and there were no leaks at all. The scary thing is that they didn't touch the food last night. Just the water.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/y8dpj7phr940z ... 9.JPG?dl=0

Now Hawkeye buried himself under the coconut hut, and BJ is the only surface crab left. Is this normal behavior? They ate a lot on day 5 but they didn't really eat anything since then and now this happened and it's day 9. Should I be worried?

No. It sounds like they really enjoying their new salt water though! They sound like they are still settling in.

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The fact that they are hiding is due to them being new and needing to settle in, there’s not much you can do to prevent that, but they will eventually come out soon enough and be as active as you would expect them to be

So I just want to update people on some info I found regarding the salt water dish "issue?". By what I've been seeing it seems that hermit crabs bathe in salt water A LOT before they molt. Like a lot more apparently. It benefits them before the molting period. So in case you guys were wondering about a similar issue, that's what's probably happening. Also I'm wrong it was BJ. Hawkeye came back up. So... coolsies.

I don't know why, but for some reason, I was under the impression that they spent more time in the Fresh water before a molt. XD I know, I'm dumb.

When I purchased my two guys from the boardwalk, the one would dig around... for about 5 days maybe. I finally bought instant ocean and he soaked in there for over an hour then ate then buried to molt (where he remains). They need the saltwater to help shed their exo so it makes sense.

I'm more worried if whatever this guy had as 'storage' for the first molt will be sufficient enough for him to survive. Once (if), he comes up healthy, he will have a bigger proper setup and all kinds of good foods for the rest of his time.

The first molt, from what I have read (especially so soon after purchasing), is a 50/50 shot. This could be bad information, but seems right considering the pellet diet prior to a few days of actual food then right to molting. I am so glad I was at least able to give him the saltwater needed which hopefully helps.

TLDR: I agree. Should be common for a saltwater soak prior to molting as you wrote.

Good luck! Still have fingers crossed for my molter!