HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Ok We are at the end of Day 4 on lot one and Day 3 for lot 2. Lot 1 seem to have a heap of debris in the water and I've had to do 2 water changes this afternoon and tonight. I am pretty certain they have got to Stage 2. Going to need to get some more salt water tomorrow. Have a Kreisel in the making...

Water changes done 2 times today. 2 batches of crabs in different jars. Acquired some 150mm poly pipe and a small fish tank. A friend is going to get the pipe to fit into the tank and cut a rectangle in the top. YES I am doing a home made Kriesel tank. Going to use the riser from garden irrigation s...

Monday 5th December Day 2 Weather It is going to be a really hot day again. What has happened? Checked at 0730 and all seems good except the water is only at 24c so maybe the heater isn’t working. The light is on though so there is no way to test it. Took out some water and added some hot water to b...

This was at 1130 am Sun 4th Dec 2016https://vimeo.com/194224880


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Well folks. In January I went into meltdown (almost) trying to get totally unexpected zoea to land. I actually managed to get 6 to land but they failed to survive their last moult. I am being given another chance now. I checked on my crabs just before going to bed last night (Sat 3rd Dec 2016) and n...

Hi I was just wondering what the temperature and humidity was in your crabitat when your crabs displayed breeding behaviour. Also I was wondering how many crabs you had in your crabitat at the time they were breeding, also how many males and how many females did you have in the tank when they were ...

Flinching when you walk past is a reflex survival reaction. Don't walk past too much and let them be as much as you can. I'd even suggest putting a blanket right over the tank to give them some dark calm time with no external stimuli. Carer for 4 Aussie crabs. They need a day/night light cycle, so ...

Flinching when you walk past is a reflex survival reaction. Don't walk past too much and let them be as much as you can. I'd even suggest putting a blanket right over the tank to give them some dark calm time with no external stimuli.


Carer for 4 Aussie crabs.

If your sub is deep enough and the crab is able to dig they are unlikely to surface molt. If the crab has come from horrible conditions it is likely that it is simply chilling and destressing. Provide deep pools of salt and fresh water and good food with lots of calcium and protein and your crab sho...

Wodesorel your comment is interesting however I've found the opposite. When I first got a UVB tube my crabs sat right up at the top of the tank as close as they could get for about 4 weeks. They absolutely got darker in colour. Now though they don't bother about it. Yes I have replaced the tube coz ...

You mentioned a cage?? Do you actually mean a wire enclosure or do you have a glass tank with a glass lid?


Still in denial I've managed to pull this off.

Crabs often dig for no reason other than fun. You need to give them sand that's used in kids sandpits mixed with Eco earth. The ratio is 5 parts sand to 1 part Eco earth. Make it nice and deep and they will love it. If you do this mix you won't have to change it ever. Unless you get a flood or other...

Totally normal. He is probably enjoying digging at last. He may not be molting. Keep putting food out and check it. He may well be coming up at night.


Still in denial I've managed to pull this off.

Have you checked that it is drying out right down? Having the top dry is just like in the wild. If it is drying out right through there are a couple of things to consider. 1) is your heat mat on the back/side above sub level? 2) do you have some Eco earth mixed with your sand? 5 parts sand 1part ee ...

CallaLily wrote:Just fyi, this thread is from 2014. I don't think the OP has even been on in a year.

That's weird... why did I get a notification for such an old post then??? Ah well not to worry.