HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello everyone!
I recently did more research on crabitat substrate and realized the one I currently have which is calcium sand and soil mix is bad and today I got all purpose sand and planning on getting eco earth soon
Anyways with that aside is all purpose sand good or should I get something else?

yeah that should be fine. it should be pre-washed so all you really gotta do is add the cocoa fiber and water.

Okay thanks!
I’m supposed to use bottled water for that correct?

i always mix mine with de-chlorinated water treated with instant ocean.. it helps keep mold down.

The Eco Earth may come in a brick which will need to be reconstituted. Once it is reconstituted (following the directions on the package), the moisture it holds should be enough to get your substrate up to sandcastle consistency if it's 5:1 sand:EE.

yeah so like with water, it can be botted. I use gallon jugs of spring water or tap water is usually fine too. then treat it with a dechlorinator (I use seachem prime).

Another question though
What do I do if I don’t have a big enough cage?
How much mixture would I need to put in then?

no matter what size your "cage" is, the substrate should be 3 times as deep as your largest crab... 6 inches is a general idea of depth.

If you don't think it's big enough.. you can keep an eye on FB marketplace or craigs list they often have used tanks at very reasonable prices.

some larger cities even have neighborhood groups that post "curbside" alerts that they are getting rid of things and are for free. (in my neighborhood, we just consider the back yard by our ally to be the bermuda triangle, stuff we put there just disappears )

Jlmills525 wrote: Some larger cities even have neighborhood groups that post "curbside" alerts that they are getting rid of things and are for free. (in my neighborhood, we just consider the back yard by our ally to be the bermuda triangle, stuff we put there just disappears )

Love the Bermuda Triangle thing lol! A lot of people in my area take scrap metal and get cash for it. My friend use to do it too, but her business took off, so she doesn't have time anymore. So now if we have anything with a lot of metal, we sit it out on the furthest edge of the property next to the road with a free sign. Within a few hours to a week, it's gone!



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I have totally gotten tanks and stands curbside. Free is a great deal!

To answer the water question, really any water source is safe so long as it's something you can drink. Tap water is okay even if untreated as the crabs aren't going to be submerging their gills in it since it's just mixed into substrate. I also prefer to use saltwater for mixing their substrate up the first time (using instant ocean) as it helps with keeping the tank fresh and preventing mold.

Molting is their most dangerous time, so having enough substrate trumps any climbing space in a smaller tank. The topside crabs will deal, though may become destructive if they get too bored.