HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi, I was just wondering if sea salt salt water would work for my crabs. I have natural sea salt for my crabs (not table salt) and I've been using it for some time now. Someone on this board told me that sea salt is fine, and my crabs seem to be doing okay. But now two people have told me that I need instant ocean for my crabs and I'm on a low budget. Would sea salt continue to be OK for my crabs? And what's so special about this instant ocean?

Instant Ocean is marine salt. It has the necessary minerals in it that crabs need. Sea salt does not.

Sea salt is not harmful, but it does not match the composition of natural seawater. Ocean water is made up of about 70 different elements, and Instant Ocean and similar mixes recreate this. These trace elements in their drinking water are important for long-term survival for hermits.

I put trace minerals in the water I give them. Is that okay?

I am not sure I would trust that the 'trace minerals' would contain everything that hermies need.

From the care guides page ( http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 27&t=92553 ):

"Saltwater

There are over 70 elements in sea water, and it’s important for the health of your hermit crab that they have access to the right kind salt water that contains all of them. Hermit crabs need this kind of ocean water in order to regulate their bodies and to make molting easier, and all hermit crabs carry around a mixture of brackish water in their shells at all times. Brackish water is the term used to describe salty water that is between ocean water levels of salt, and pure freshwater.

Salt sold specifically for hermit crabs do not contain all these elements, and some even have artificial colors and unneeded chemicals added to them that can be harmful. They are also mixed at too weak of a concentration to be helpful, and are normally drastically overpriced.

Also, do not buy what is sold as “Freshwater Aquarium Salt”. While the salt is safe for use with hermit crabs, it contains only a few elements rather than a full mix that is helpful to hermit crabs. The two major brands that are NOT the right kind of salt to buy are API and Doc Wellfish. These types of salt are not going to be helpful in the long run, but they are not harmful.

Never use table salt or human grade “sea salt” for the same reason. Also, salt for human consumption usually contains anti-caking and anti-clumping agents to make to make it flow freely from shakers, and these could be potentially harmful to hermit crabs.

The correct type of salt to buy is the kind sold in the saltwater fish section. The specialty “reef” salt that many of these brands offer is also completely hermit crab safe, and often contains extra calcium.

Instant Ocean
Coralife
Kent Marine
Red Sea
Seachem Marine
Tropic Marin

All of the major salt brands are measured the same, depending on how much you need:
1 gallon of water to ½ cup of salt mix
½ gallon (which is 2 quarts) of water to ¼ cup salt mix
1 Pint (which is 2 cups) of water to 1 Tablespoon (which is 3 teaspoons) salt mix
1 cup of water to ½ Tablespoon (which is 1 and ½ teaspoon) of salt mix"

Thanks, Curlysister. I bought the instant ocean and its working really well.

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Here's a little tip about salt pools, (If it hasn't already been given) you can top off the water in the pool a few times before you do a complete water change and add more instant ocean. When the water evaporates out of the pool the salt remaines, so I usually don't do a complete water change in their pools for about 1/2 month.

scuttlecrusty22 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 10, 2019 11:33 am

Here's a little tip about salt pools, (If it hasn't already been given) you can top off the water in the pool a few times before you do a complete water change and add more instant ocean. When the water evaporates out of the pool the salt remaines, so I usually don't do a complete water change in their pools for about 1/2 month.

However, that won't remove ammonia and nitrites that build up over time due to the organic stuff the crabs drag in, unless there is a filter on the pools. Ammonia and nitrites are not safe to drink and will cause gill burns.