Mysterious hermit crab pieces?

[lotusTT]

So for the third time, I have found a dead hermit crab in pieces in my nano. The problem is I started with 3 live crabs, and I still have 3 live crabs...

Is it possible the crabs are reproducing? I can't think of where else they would be coming from.

I'm also confused how they would be dying. I don't have any smaller empty shells in the tank, only big-medium ones. I imagine my pistol shrimp shredded the last one, but he wasn't in the tank when the previous two got ripped up.

 

[fanaglethebagle]

It's a molt, they scare me all the time

 

[qazplm25]

That happened to me a few weeks ago and people here told me it was a molt.

 

[Chris L]

yup just molting. it is amazing how in tact the shell can be