So if we found some people who have lived to be over 100 years old do you think we'll find they have been drinking distilled water all their life? Doubtful. How about some of the people who have had crabs live a very long time for them? Are they using distilled water?
I think genetics play a larger role than what we choose to put into our bodies. Why can some people smoke a pack a day and live into their 90's when someone who chooses to not smoke, drink, eat healthy, and exercise and drops dead in their 30's or 40's?
The Distilled Water Debate
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I'm always giving my crabs distilled water to drink and they seem to be doing great. I don't really see anything wrong with that. Personally I think that it is safer to give them distilled water than even tap water with dechlorinator in it because depending on the dechlorinator you buy, it may not get all of the harmful metals and contaminants out while distilled water is pure. I'm now a little scared reading this though. Should I be giving them distilled water though? I feel so uncomfortable now. 
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Good arguments raised here! I am still undecided. I use oceanic mixes because of my understanding about how fish, crustacae, plant materials utilize minerals within their environments. There is NO pure form of water in nature.
The systems that these people are discussing water, are from the mammiliar perspective and how our digestive systems work. While it bears consideration, I do not see how we can compare it to creatures that are at one point in their life 100% within an aquatic environment. I am facinated by the ability of fish, plant, plankton, etc. to have the ability to "filter" their own environment for minerals they need, yet live within many other minerals that they do not ingest about them. They are not affected by the minerals they do not need. I have read about the coral reefs and how that underground jungle has as many as 36 different mineral elements surrounding it at any given time. Specific coral species absorb different minerals, and at different growth times. Scientists who have tested waters had found high concentrations of a type of potasium that is naturally found bound with another compound. They initally speculated that there was some toxin that corrupted the mineral. It was later discovered that the fauna and coral had high concentrations of this compound...they were able to extract it from the natural mineral form! To me this suggests that we haven't even scraped the surface of how mineral interaction works with "unthinking" organisms. I think it is hard to apply the Comparitive science procedure to this type of situation.
Finally, why I think there was a broad statement made about distilled water leaching minerals, was that it has no electrolites. It has been proven that this heavy water can actually attract minerals on its way to the various cells, and end up as sewage. In fact in some treatments of cancer, a medication is given with distilled water to attract t-cells to it, and the medication will kill the attracted t-cells. I do not know enough about this process, but in crabs or other animals that molt, their blood ends up carrying most of the minerals it needs while it sheds. I do not know enough about the excretionary process in them, but if distilled water attracts minerals and redistributes them or flushes them, I cannot see how that is of benefit.
The systems that these people are discussing water, are from the mammiliar perspective and how our digestive systems work. While it bears consideration, I do not see how we can compare it to creatures that are at one point in their life 100% within an aquatic environment. I am facinated by the ability of fish, plant, plankton, etc. to have the ability to "filter" their own environment for minerals they need, yet live within many other minerals that they do not ingest about them. They are not affected by the minerals they do not need. I have read about the coral reefs and how that underground jungle has as many as 36 different mineral elements surrounding it at any given time. Specific coral species absorb different minerals, and at different growth times. Scientists who have tested waters had found high concentrations of a type of potasium that is naturally found bound with another compound. They initally speculated that there was some toxin that corrupted the mineral. It was later discovered that the fauna and coral had high concentrations of this compound...they were able to extract it from the natural mineral form! To me this suggests that we haven't even scraped the surface of how mineral interaction works with "unthinking" organisms. I think it is hard to apply the Comparitive science procedure to this type of situation.
Finally, why I think there was a broad statement made about distilled water leaching minerals, was that it has no electrolites. It has been proven that this heavy water can actually attract minerals on its way to the various cells, and end up as sewage. In fact in some treatments of cancer, a medication is given with distilled water to attract t-cells to it, and the medication will kill the attracted t-cells. I do not know enough about this process, but in crabs or other animals that molt, their blood ends up carrying most of the minerals it needs while it sheds. I do not know enough about the excretionary process in them, but if distilled water attracts minerals and redistributes them or flushes them, I cannot see how that is of benefit.
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I have seen Hermit Crab water conditioners that not only de-chlor but also add essential electrolites and other things to the water that are supposed to be beneficial from the crabs. Using distilled water seems to be the total opposite to me.
If distilled water is so good why aren't athletes drinking it over specialized drinks designed to give the body more electrolites and minerals? You'd think sports teams that spend millions of dollars to try and have the best team wouldn't over look something like distilled water if there was some kind of benefit to it.
If distilled water is so good why aren't athletes drinking it over specialized drinks designed to give the body more electrolites and minerals? You'd think sports teams that spend millions of dollars to try and have the best team wouldn't over look something like distilled water if there was some kind of benefit to it.
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First of all, crabs are not even remotely biologically similar to people. So comparing crabs to athletes and cancer patients is not valid and has no bearing on this discussion. It's high time we stopped anthropomorphizing crabs and their biology because it is causing a great deal of confusion and false information in keeping and feeding methods.
Secondly, to speak to the athlete analogy, NO water has electrolytes in it, whether bottled, tap or distilled. So that has no bearing, though it was a nice attempt.
Third, dechlorinators do not remove everything that could be harmful to crabs from the water. Organisms like giardia and cryptosporidium will still be there, as will biological compounds such as estrogen, which is not removed by water treatment. One thing said about the tap water in London is that it is reducing male fertility because of all the estrogen in the water supply from women on birth contnrol pills.
Again, if people are worried about the lack of minerals in their fresh water, if it is distilled, amounts of which are absolutely negligible in anything but products labeled "mineral water," then I suggest adding a few drops of ocean water to each half gallon mixed.
But this is, as so many things, a personal choice. My choice? I wouldn't trust tap water, even TREATED tap water, with something as sensitive to chemicals as a crab is.
Secondly, to speak to the athlete analogy, NO water has electrolytes in it, whether bottled, tap or distilled. So that has no bearing, though it was a nice attempt.
Third, dechlorinators do not remove everything that could be harmful to crabs from the water. Organisms like giardia and cryptosporidium will still be there, as will biological compounds such as estrogen, which is not removed by water treatment. One thing said about the tap water in London is that it is reducing male fertility because of all the estrogen in the water supply from women on birth contnrol pills.
Again, if people are worried about the lack of minerals in their fresh water, if it is distilled, amounts of which are absolutely negligible in anything but products labeled "mineral water," then I suggest adding a few drops of ocean water to each half gallon mixed.
But this is, as so many things, a personal choice. My choice? I wouldn't trust tap water, even TREATED tap water, with something as sensitive to chemicals as a crab is.
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