Red legged hermit and live birth??

[neutronium]

I have just been examining my 55 gallon tank at night with a torch trying to identify a possible eunicid worm. Anyway, one of my red legged hermits was busy eating, when it stopped, crawled part way out of it's shell and released maybe a hundred or so live swimming things. Is this normal? I thought crabs layed eggs? Afterwards, it returned into its shell and carried on eating.
Does this mean I have to find a lot of tiny shells for the new crabs or is this some horrific parasitic creature event?

[THEJRC]

bump (I'm curious about this one....)

[aquaman#1]

Well actually Hermit crabs don't get big in a hurry. my advice to you is to isolate them. Keep them on a Strict diet suchas baby brine shrimp wait they are smaller than the brine shrimp. I think if you separte them in a different tank then you will be able to raise them. Like they may eat the Algeaor they actually become part of the Plankton. Just well do that and theyshould be fine. Oh and it may take up to one your for them to need shells.

[ricsreef]

Trip!!Someone else was asking about raising them on an earlier post.I've never heard of them being raised from birth before.If they are that small how would you catch them to seperate?Are you sure he was'nt just pooping or something?Are you for sure you saw them "swim" off?Maybe he was evacuating something alive from his shell?Pods or something?I'm pretty sure they lay eggs,I'm, going to google it now to find out for sure.

[ricsreef]

I just googled it and at one site they were talking about exactly what you saw,It seems they keep their eggs on their belly in the shell,when they all hatch she will climb out of her shell and let them go.They also said you can feed them freshly hatched brine shrimp.