HCA: Hermit Crab Association

In the process of making a hermie grocery list, should I use the "reef salt" Instant Ocean product? I've seen the purple brand mentioned a few times, but this orange one is at my local pet store:

http://www.petsmart.com/fish/food-and-c ... 23662.html

(I hope this is okay so I don't have to order online )

And would this be an acceptable dechlorinator?

http://www.petsmart.com/fish/food-and-c ... 17578.html

alypin wrote:In the process of making a hermie grocery list, should I use the "reef salt" Instant Ocean product? I've seen the purple brand mentioned a few times, but this orange one is at my local pet store:

http://www.petsmart.com/fish/food-and-c ... 23662.html

(I hope this is okay so I don't have to order online )

You want the salt
Some one will chime in why these two are different.

I use API dechlorinator.

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Dechlorinator is fine... an both reef & ocean IO are cool.
Reef has a bit more of the minerrally stuff, so if you wory about your crabs getting their daily mineral intake, go with orange over purple. But both will get the job done.

LadyJinglyJones wrote:Dechlorinator is fine... an both reef & ocean IO are cool.
Reef has a bit more of the minerrally stuff, so if you wory about your crabs getting their daily mineral intake, go with orange over purple. But both will get the job done.

Funny, I was just having this discussion re: minerals. Ill have to see if Petland carries the reef crystal in the sm box. The helpful staff told me it was not for the crabs. But the rest of their advice was incorrect, so.

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Reef actually contains more calcium than the regular. I personally use the reef.

As far as dechlorinator- needs to remove chlorine, chloramine and ammonia- other toxic metals would be beneficial


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The mineral content of the reef stuff is geared towards coral growth, so it contains your basic calcium & magnesium (and other stuff that the package is vague on) in higher content ratios than plain ol' sea water.

But there is no reason that the crabs wouldn't thrive with the reef mix - they have high calcium needs to begin with, and can dilute the reef water as they would regular ocean water by mixing it with fresh.

So either way, its'all gud.

Mineral content/sailinity vary in natural water sources anyhow. Species populations need to have some degree of inbuilt adaptability if they're as far-ranging as wild purple pinchers are.

Petland misinformation campaign strikes again! They actually disuaded me from getting reef when I was getting my hermie supplies. This was pre HCA of course!

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Thank you all for your input!