HCA: Hermit Crab Association

It's been well over a year since I did anything major with the crabitat. I have algae growing in most places along the sides, and I'm feeling like a deep clean and re-do is due. Also, I used to have 6 crabs, but now only 3 are out on a regular basis -- I literally can't remember when I last saw any ...

I have 6 crabs in a 55 gallon tank -- I have 3 out and active most nights, but the other 3 haven't been seen in a long time -- as in, I can't remember seeing them this year! :shock: There is no "dead fish" smell, or anything else I've noticed, it still smells fresh, heat and humidity are good, fresh...

Update: I think it's like me-n-my-hermikids said and perhaps someone just dragged a shell down with them and buried it part way. I notice that those 2 were at it again today :roll: .....not sure what's up with that. There are newly washed shells, plenty of food, and we've never, ever had a problem w...

That's just it -- I'm not sure he just didn't change shells. He obviously wanted to change - that's why he attacked the first one. Then I cleaned the entire shell shop and washed them all in warm salt water and put them back....so I can't be sure that he just didn't find a new shell and change into ...

Well, looking at another similar thread, I used a soft brush and dug down in the area I found the empty shell. I thought I saw something an inch or two down that "could' have been a naked crab - but I reached the area and found nothing. :( . I have no idea where this crab could be right now -- and I...

Woke up this morning to another surprise... background: several days ago, we came upon a crab fight where a crab in pearly white shell was attacking another one for the shell. We dunked them in freshwater, separated them, and let it be. The attacked crab went up high and has sought refuge from the s...

Update: after we separated them, the attacker went under and I haven't seen him since. The one being attacked (Lucia) climbed up high into a tree and has stayed there since. I have only seen her come down from there one time for some water and then go back into the tree. Is that normal for a stresse...

Yep - hubby came and dipped them (they were attached at that point) and it still didn't help. After a little more careful coaxing, he got them apart and we put them at opposite ends of the tank. We have plenty of shells (or so I think - about 3 per crab to choose from), and they have fresh food in t...

2 of my crabs have been down for a while....last night, I noticed one of them near the surface, but still kinda buried so I left it alone. This morning, he was right at the surface in a big crater, on top of another crab that has been down molting. I opened the glass door to the tank and heard lots ...

Cool! That will be so much easier than what I currently do!

I keep my salt and fresh water for the crabs in gallon jugs in the fridge (based on suggestions I had received way back when I first started). So being in the fridge, the water is cold when I pour it into the containers. Can I microwave that water to bring it up to a more suitable temperature, or do...

That's good to know! And just as an extra, here's the picture..... http://i1368.photobucket.com/albums/ag181/chickpea616/68d3eb034221b9268819ba75c09d9a20_zps4s4jjzse.jpg The middle one lower in the tank is my reflection, LOL, and if you look in the left side, you might just spot the crab that is dig...

I was just about to get the dishes out of the tank and fill them with tonight's food and treats when I noticed some green-ish looking sand along the side of the tank -- it's in 2 different spots (i'll try to get a pic up later)... a little background: I setup this new 55 gallon last November (2014) ...

I setup a 55 gallon just last year - If I remember correctly, I used 3-4 bags of play sand (since it's so cheap, I would get 4 just to be safe), 1 EE brick per bag. I got the 11x47 Ultratherm that CallaLily mentions above and it just meets up with my substrate line. I also would highly recommend a f...

I just refilled my moss pits (one large, one small) with fresh moss today and the humidity is reading 99%! I only have a sliver of an opening (big enough for the bubbler tubes). Is that too humid for the crabs? (My humidity is regularly in the 80's, but 99% is the highest I've ever seen on my readou...