New Aussie breeding colony.

[Renroc]

A crabber not too far from me posted that she needed to rehome her 6 crabs on Saturday. When asked what sex they were she said 5 girls and one boy. I jumped at the chance to get some females. When I got there all the crabs were hairy and had recently moulted. However, the male and 2 females are smaller than my babies were at a year old so it will be a while before they are ready. They are in the juvenile tank along with Monster (until he surfaces from moult camp) and have been exploring and very active as well. It is like having babies again as they are so small. I will have to check the access to the pools again as these little guys have way smaller leg span and reach than Monster and Choco.

That still left me with 3 reasonable size females. I collected them and came home and took some ID photos and then added the larger 3 to my 4ft tank which now holds Caramel my largest male and Choco the small captive bred male.

These new crabs have been so active and out exploring. I have seen 2 of them take extended swims in the 7.5L cycled salt pool and one spent time hanging her shell in the 6L fresh pool by holding onto the edge just like people do when they are too lazy to swim.
There is a number of brown frowns in the salt pool today as well which means crabs were in there last night.

There was a bit of argey bargey between Choco and one of the new females last night but I tapped on the glass and they stopped. Choco has never encountered a female as he and Monster have been in a batchelor pad for the last 3 years.
Either Choco (I think) or Caramel have also changed shells into one of the new ones I collected with the crabs. That means I now have 3 in very similar shells. Lucky I got ID shots before I put them in.

It was great to see that the crabs can get into the new large pools as I wasn't sure they were readily accessible.

Maybe some babies this year but perhaps not until next season. We will see.

[Renroc]

I’ll have a white wine please waiter. This pool has a good spa and is a great temp. I think I’ll just chill here for a while.



Walking around in the salt pool for 15minutes. Got out a different way than she got in so that’s good!


“The facilities at this resort are pretty good. I’ll tell my friends” The salt pool has got some nice reef sand that squishes in your claws when you walk.


Well they have made themselves at home overnight. Poop in the salt pool already.




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[Renroc]

This is the new set up for the 4ft tank. 6L fresh pool on left with live plants a bubbler and a foam biofilter. Plants are in a bed of fine river gravel.

A 7.5L salt pool with a HOBfilter and rocks. It has reef sand on the bottom.

Both pools are supported on stands made from 25mm pvc pipe.

A new beaut light that can be programmed to gradually brighten and darken to simulate a normal daily rhythm.





The fresh pool with plants. You can see the reflection of the LED light.






The salt pool.




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[GotButterflies]

Hi Sue! Congratulations on your new crabs!!

[aussieJJDude]

This setup has been such a fun process to tsg along and see it getting set up. I'm amazed how it all turned out at the end, and those pools look amazing.

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[Renroc]

The crabs have been in and out of the pools so much in the last 2 days it has really surprised me

[RiNiKy506]

So amazing! I hope you get lucky and get some breeding action this year, if your ready for it of course. Your tank is amazing and I’m so glad they are settling in so well. Such little precious cuties!


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[Renroc]

Yep I'm ready for it. Done it before and have 2 crabs who are captive bred. They are 3y 9mth old males plus I have another male so needed some girls.

[RiNiKy506]

We’ll be rooting for you!


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[aussieJJDude]

The crabs have been in and out of the pools so much in the last 2 days it has really surprised me

Shows whatever you've done, it was something right!

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[mlakers]

So exciting! The tank looks great. I’m betting they’ll be making babies soon!

[Renroc]

In the evening of day 18 I had one make a break for air. At 0030 on 2/4/21 I noticed it on the sand. Soooo close. Just one morph on land and it will be a baby hermit crab. I had all but given up as these last 2 survivors are way behind schedule. But it just goes to show nature runs to her own timeline.




In


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[crabbycasey]

So tiny and precious...this is awesome!!


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[Renroc]

Now have about 30 on
land and 23 in the water - from a lot that are a month after Nutmeg




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[CrabbyLover77]

Ahhh cute overload! Thanks for all of the updates. Baby crabs are exciting!

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