Is This Hermit Crab Shed?

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stanleo

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I keep finding these in the tank. This one I was able to reach and get out of the tank so I could take pictures of it. I have seen them before and in the last couple weeks I have found 3. I think they are sheds but I want to be sure my hermit crabs aren't dying. I counted 13 crabs today but in the past I have counted 18. There are a lot of places for them to hide. 
 
I took several pics if these aren't helpful. The bottom seems to be split and the middle empty like a snell but the legs are dense, not like a shrimp shed would be. 


 
Looks like it to me, back is missing because its tiny little legs back there lol
 
This is one of those things that's far easier to tell with absolute certainty with the thing in-hand than by pic, since there are differences in weight and floppiness. Although a molt is more likely, the problem is that it can look pretty similar when the body has been cleaned out by something like a Nassarius snail if you have any of those in the tank. If the limbs are hollow inside and the eyes are clear then it'll be a molt.
 
It was very floppy and quite fragile. I didn't check the limbs and I couldn't find the eyes but then again I didn't think to really look that hard.
 

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