HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Thoughts wrote:now that they've reproduced I probably have a good 100+ in my tank

Hey Thoughts--do yours ever escape??

I added them to my 'tats a while back, too, and I'm happy to say I notice a considerable difference. They're definitely doing their job keeping the 'tats clean and mold-free. I do think I need to get more, though. Maybe I'll do that today

Mama, I've not had any escape, though I did have one of my jumping spiders successfully escape - could not for the life of me get that little bugger back in the 'tat, lol.

You can keep jumping spiders in a crabitat?? Do you use them to keep the rollie pollies in check?

This is starting to remind me of the old lady who swallowed a fly!

The spiders are in there to keep the fruit flies in check, LOL. And it's actually been working, though in all honesty, I don't know if it's the spiders or not.

Do you ever see the rollie pollies????

I see mine very infrequently. Once in a great while, I'll see one moving around in the moss pit, or climbing up a leaf stem. But that's it. Then again, I only have about 15 in a 26 gallon tank.....

I see mine a lot, often near the crabs who don't seem to mind them at all. I think I have at least 40 or so, but that's a very rough estimate, there are probably more I haven't seen.

MamaZelly wrote:Hey Thoughts--do yours ever escape??

not yet, but its a 125 gallon tank those are quite the walls to climb for a rollie pollie hehe, I see them alot in the dark corners of the tank and mostly behind the fountain.

I went searching and I found somewhere between 8&12. I haven't seen them since I put them in. They're in a 55, so I wasn't really expecting to see them much. Man, I used to find those things everywhere when I was a kid, and now, almost nothing. I'm going to try to find more today.

I am intrigued by the rollie pollie idea, however my substrate is EE expanded with double strength salt water. I also occasionally mist with salt water. Will the salt harm the rollie pollies?

I am afraid to put them in my crabitat... what if my crabs don't like them.... what if i can never get the bugs out ?

Cynderella,

I do not think the salt will harm them. They are closely related to marine isopods, which live in salty conditions.

Eww... Sorry but I really really hate bugs as tho they can be great janitors. Plus my tank has no cover, they can escape and it disgusts me, especially if my lovely puppy eats it (he'll eat it FOR SURE) and then what if they drown....

They can't climb glass or plastic because the way their legs are. Pill bugs stay as low as they can for survival.