Naked Crab, Another Lurking

[the2amigos]

Since you've come to the emergency forum, we know you want a fast answer to your question. In order for us to figure out the problem as quickly as possible, we ask that you answer the following questions as best you can. Some of them may seem odd, but they're all designed to give us the information we need to give you a good solution for your problem. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
6-8 inches of sand/ecoearth

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
Yes. Upper corner. 80 degrees and around 75 percent humidiry

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Large heat mat on outside of back wall

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
Fresh and salt, large trays.


5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Food changed daily, some pellets, fresh fruit and veg. Protein a few times per week, fish, chicken

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
At least three years.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
We have three. I assume they've all molted several times


8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
30 gallon tank, screen top that is 80 percent covered with plexiglass to keep humid, fully covered in winter.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
3. Large. Nectarine size maybe?

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
At least 10

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No.
12. How often do you clean the tank and how? . Once a month I scrape the top layer. Twice a year I do a full change (today being one of them!)


13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
Not right now, I seem to have trouble keeping them clean .

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No. Well, until just now, added some climbing artificial branches and stuff - for lizards. Maybe take out? But this issue is before me just adding this.

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
No

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Full tank clean out. I knew one may be molting as I haven't seen one in a little bit. Super careful cleaning out tank. I have two containers that hold water - fresh and salt - that sit in the sandiest part of the tank on an incline so water goes deeper to shallow (think beach). I lifted the fresh water to discover a pale, naked Crab under, next to an exoskeleton and his shell. Another crab was near. I put the water container back down gently. And am not sure what to do now?!? Move healthy Hermie away? Put guy back in shell? I don't want to bug him anymore than necessary!

.

[CrabbyLover77]

I'll put my suggestions under your answers. Hope this helps!

Since you've come to the emergency forum, we know you want a fast answer to your question. In order for us to figure out the problem as quickly as possible, we ask that you answer the following questions as best you can. Some of them may seem odd, but they're all designed to give us the information we need to give you a good solution for your problem. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
6-8 inches of sand/ecoearth

CL77- Is it mositened to sand castle consistency?

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
Yes. Upper corner. 80 degrees and around 75 percent humidiry

CL77- 75% is good, but try to shoot for 80%+ if you can.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Large heat mat on outside of back wall

CL77- Is it above the substrate line? You want to make sure you're heating the air and not the sand.

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
Fresh and salt, large trays.

CL77- What type of dechlorinator and salt are you using? Are the trays deep enough that the crabs can submerge if they want to?

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Food changed daily, some pellets, fresh fruit and veg. Protein a few times per week, fish, chicken

CL77- Pellets often times have a lot of preservatives that aren't great for crabs. A source of protein and calcium should be offered at all times. Are you offering any calcium?

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
At least three years.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
We have three. I assume they've all molted several times


8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
30 gallon tank, screen top that is 80 percent covered with plexiglass to keep humid, fully covered in winter.

CL77- It's ok to fully cover the lid all the time to keep it more humid. Air exchanges when you do tank maintenance every day or two.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
3. Large. Nectarine size maybe?

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
At least 10

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No.
12. How often do you clean the tank and how? . Once a month I scrape the top layer. Twice a year I do a full change (today being one of them!)

CL77- You don't have to change out all the substrate unless there is a flood or bacterial bloom. It's especially important not to do a substrate change if you have any crabs that are buried. It can disturb them while they are molting and/or trying to destress by tunneling/digging.


13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
Not right now, I seem to have trouble keeping them clean .

CL77- Sponges harbor bacteria when left in water dishes. It's ok to leave them in the tank dry for the crabs to munch on though.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No. Well, until just now, added some climbing artificial branches and stuff - for lizards. Maybe take out? But this issue is before me just adding this.

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
No

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Full tank clean out. I knew one may be molting as I haven't seen one in a little bit. Super careful cleaning out tank. I have two containers that hold water - fresh and salt - that sit in the sandiest part of the tank on an incline so water goes deeper to shallow (think beach). I lifted the fresh water to discover a pale, naked Crab under, next to an exoskeleton and his shell. Another crab was near. I put the water container back down gently. And am not sure what to do now?!? Move healthy Hermie away? Put guy back in shell? I don't want to bug him anymore than necessary!

CL77- You are going to have to isolate the naked crab and re-shell him asap. You can get him to try to take a shell on his own first. If that doesn't work, you'll have to manually re-shell him. A crab abandons its shell when it's too weak to carry it. When you isolate the crab, be sure to put it's exoskeleton in with him. Here's a guide to get you started:

viewtopic.php?t=122302

.

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[the2amigos]

Sand is sand castle consistent. I use marine salt and Thrive brand declorinator. I'll cover them more, sometimes I leave it cracked because the corner of the tank gets some early morning sun and gets toasty in there! The water containers are deep enough on the deep end for them to submerge and I have air stones in to keep the water fresh and moving.

When I went to reshell him he was already in the shell himself. I moved the lurker that was by him. Then I just left him alone, he's under one of the water containers, he had dug a cave, so I just leave him? I guess all I can do now is wait and see?

What do you have in for them to climb? I've tried different things with varying success. I'm trying a lizard package right now, seagrass mats and some vines.

[CrabbyLover77]

Sand is sand castle consistent. I use marine salt and Thrive brand declorinator. I'll cover them more, sometimes I leave it cracked because the corner of the tank gets some early morning sun and gets toasty in there! The water containers are deep enough on the deep end for them to submerge and I have air stones in to keep the water fresh and moving.

When I went to reshell him he was already in the shell himself. I moved the lurker that was by him. Then I just left him alone, he's under one of the water containers, he had dug a cave, so I just leave him? I guess all I can do now is wait and see?

What do you have in for them to climb? I've tried different things with varying success. I'm trying a lizard package right now, seagrass mats and some vines.

Since he reshelled himself you can leave him there. Glad you didn't have to iso him.

I use egg crate on the back of my tank from the hardware store. They climb that, plus I zip tied four small containers from the dollar store at the top and put their shells and some coco fiber in them. They love hanging out and sleeping in them. I also have plastic risers I bought on Amazon that I attached craft mesh and Cholla wood to. They climb up on those all the time too.

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