Mites on Crab :(

[Ssousa1555]

Hello,
My hermit crab has mites on her, I am thinking they are the food mites but was curious what you all thought, as she has always had them on her food but I have never seen them on the crab before until now.

Sadly, she hasn't been doing well (see my "Inactive Crab" thread in the Emergency forum). She has been inactive for many months now but I have not smelled the "bad seafood" to tell me she has died. I was hoping she was just in a long surface molt, but now I am seeing mites and tiny bit of mold on her big claw.

Are these mites ok? I would feel bad disturbing her to try and remove them. I am also worried they and the fungal growth are an indication she has passed away.
I have had her for 19 years and haven't introduced any new crabs. I took pictures of the mites but not sure how to attach to the post.

[curlysister]

If the mites are on the crab, and if there is mold, I'm sorry to say that she may have passed away.
You can use a photo sharing site, or the TapaTalk app to add a photo to this discussion. A picture would definitely help us.

[Ssousa1555]

Thank you curly, ugh I am so sad. Here are some pictures of the mites:

[curlysister]

You're photos don't show up, unfortunately.
I am not the one to ask about what photo sharing site/ app to use, sorry.
I do know that if you use the TapaTalk app, you can share photos.

[Ssousa1555]

Hopefully these work!

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[curlysister]

Yes that worked! Can you show a photo from farther back, like of the whole crab and shell?

[Ssousa1555]

Yes! Here is another photo of how she is sitting. The zoomed in ones posted previously show the mites.

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[curlysister]

Has she moved at all in the past number of weeks? If you pick her up by the shell, does she react at all?

[Ssousa1555]

I haven't seen her move in months, and I keep an eye out for new tracks in the sand. When I pick her up by the shell she does not move, her legs stay in that position and her feelers don't move either

[JoeHermits]

That sounds like she has passed away, which would make food mites a likelihood


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[wodesorel]

And they can absolutely look "normal" after passing, if the conditions allow for it. I've had crabs die here at home and also found crabs at the store that were intact and looked as if they were resting and were pulled in so tight there was no wiggling them, but were for sure already gone. A little morbid, but I have the remains of one going on five years now and he still looks absolutely perfect. It's part of what makes crabbing so difficult, because there can be no clear way of telling sometimes - but I agree that between the food mites and the mold that the signs are there. I'm so sorry.