Jumbo Crab tank needs?

lovemycrabbies · Post by **lovemycrabbies** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 7:21 am

Hey(: I recently bought two purple pinchers that appear to be Jumbo sized crabs (I have not measured them yet because I wanted to give them time to settle in before messing with them). Someone on instagram told me that Jumbos need at least a 50 gallon tank, is this true?

finalfantasyxii · Post by **finalfantasyxii** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 7:54 am

I'm thinking it is probably true. The sub needs to be 2.5 times the height of the tallest crab. I have a 55 gal acrylic and I think I would have to fill it at least half full or more to have enough depth for jumbos! Plus it just doesn't seem like they'd have much room to climb or cruise around. I think when my herms get to that size I will be upgraded to at least 100 gal hopefully 150.

HermitCrabby_LHC · Post by **HermitCrabby_LHC** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 9:13 am

They need at least a 55 for two of them. I would get a 92 though.

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 9:19 am

Yes, to accommodate their size if they are true jumbos, you are going to need a 55. Their dishes will be big and deep as well.

finalfantasyxii · Post by **finalfantasyxii** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 10:15 am

That's a good point! If you want them to be able to take a decent dip in the water you will need some serious bowls! I hope all 13 of mine make it to that size - but I wonder how many tanks I'm going to need...Good thing my husband's handy. Maybe we'll make our own!

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 1:07 pm

@Lovemycrabbies, I have four jumbos out of my nine hermits and I have them in a 129 gallon aquarium and the space is still tight because of the depth of the sub 10 inches and it really needs to be upped to 12 and the size of the dishes I have to use I have very little room left for the crabs and their climbing decor.I have two water dishes one for fresh and the other for salt and they are 14inches wide and 2inches deep.I would recommend a minimum of 75 gallons for more than two jumbos as the space of a 50 or 55 will quickly disappear.A couple other points are jumbos have a much harder time molting than smaller specimens due to the limb size and thickness so the mortality rate is higher due to failed molts.Jumbos molt once every 18months or so and can take anywhere from two weeks to two months to molt and fully recover depending on their diet, need for molt and physical condition at the time of molt attempt.In the last five years I've lost three jumbos to bad molts they just didn't have it in them to pull through and a couple of them were actually tangled up in their own old exo because they couldn't wiggle out in one go and the old exo bonded to the new trapping them underground.This isn't common but it does happen with the extra-large and jumbo specimens when all dietary requirements aren't met.You can increase the odds of success by offering things like rolled oats, dried leaves and decaying bark as these contain nitrogen a necessary element for successful molts.

Tongue Flicker · Post by **Tongue Flicker** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 3:28 pm

i used to house mine in a 75 gallon glass tank.. when i got my 2nd crab a year after, i switched to a huge plastic tub where two people can fit. it was originally used as an indoor fish-breeding pen. they have a wide shallow basin with freshwater and another with fresh seawater (as the pacific is literally at my backyard). careful with tall structures inside though, they sure can climb haha

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 6:08 pm

quote:In the last five years I've lost three jumbos to bad molts they just didn't have it in them to pull through and a couple of them were actually tangled up in their own old exo because they couldn't wiggle out in one go and the old exo bonded to the new trapping them underground. This exact thing just happened to me two weeks ago to one of two of my large straws. I when I found her I thought she passed, she fell out of the shell. I rinsed her in room temp water and her pleopods(sp?) moved and I panicked and put her in ISO immediately. She was dead in the morning.

Tongue Flicker · Post by **Tongue Flicker** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 8:48 pm

sorry to hear your crab passed away