HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi all,

So I posted previously about my tank getting over saturated. Well I couldn’t baked the substrate to dry it out because all my crabbies went under. One came back up and I was waiting for the other 2 to do so. Well they never did.

Today the tank was way too wet and smelled horrible. Well my other 2 died and I guess I was having a bacterial bloom all this time and not knowing it, because I couldn’t tell from the surface and nothing smelled.

I dumped all the substrate and threw away the hamster wheel, cleaned the tank, baked their logs, water containers and shells.

I had a solo crab is now and I want him to be safe and happy. I’m heading to Lowe’s to buy playsand.

What are some tips for this to not happened again, I had my crabbies with no issues for over 2years.

They love burying themselves in moss, so I have that in the tank, I don’t spray the tank, so I am not adding extra water.

I'm sorry you lost a couple of your crabbies.

What do you use for water dishes? I like using the double container method. I use one plastic container to hold the shape of the dish, and a second one inside the first that holds the water. If the container with the water leaks, you have the second container to catch the leak. This way it doesn't all go into the substrate. It makes the pools a little more resistant to tipping too.
Also, when your mixing your substrate, give each batch a good squeeze. If it holds it's shape and isn't dripping, you're good to go. If water drips out when you squeeze, there's too much moisture. Add more dry sub in the mix until it stops dripping.

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CrabbyLover77 wrote: ↑

Sat Jun 12, 2021 12:46 pm

I'm sorry you lost a couple of your crabbies.

What do you use for water dishes? I like using the double container method. I use one plastic container to hold the shape of the dish, and a second one inside the first that holds the water. If the container with the water leaks, you have the second container to catch the leak. This way it doesn't all go into the substrate. It makes the pools a little more resistant to tipping too.
Also, when your mixing your substrate, give each batch a good squeeze. If it holds it's shape and isn't dripping, you're good to go. If water drips out when you squeeze, there's too much moisture. Add more dry sub in the mix until it stops dripping.

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I’ll do the double method, I believe they kept spilling the water, and that probably caused or started the issue. I’ll have to search good water containers, I believe the ones we have might not be so good.

I just use the square plastic ziplock sandwich containers you can buy in the grocery store. Mine came in a pack of 4, which was perfect for the two pools.

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https://smile.amazon.com/Ziploc-70935-S ... on&sr=8-27

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Every now and then, you can take something like a chop stick, and stick it down into the sub right along the front or side of the tank. That way, you will be able to see if any water pools in the bottom.

Thank you all!

I got the water containers in one of those plastic containers, so double protected, and I been wiping the walls when it has condensation. Needless to say Ill be freaking out from now on.