HCA: Hermit Crab Association

How often do you guys change your water? I don't have any bubblers so the water is stagnant (plan on getting some soon tho, yay!) and each of the pools is no joke like two pounds. Lifting and dumping them, rinsing them w dechlor and then treating more of the two types of water takes like 30 minutes. I did them everyday back in the 20gal, but these pools are so much bigger I only do every other day, and if I'm really busy, I stir the pool with a spoon for a minute and leave it for three. Is this okay? (Also, how long can you leave the water with bubblers?)

My cycled pools 2.5 gallons each get about half changed every monthly

Changing non bubbler pools it's recommended to change every 2-3 days. With bubblers maybe every 5-7 days. It can really depend on size and how much the crabs dirty them.

It sounds like your pools are about 30 ounces. The biggest thing with the water is ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels. You could technically test the water and change it once the levels get elevated. Ammonia is what you would be your biggest concern. Adding a drop of Prime to your water pools will help by bonding to ammonia, nitrates and nitrites. It would buy you an extra day, maybe two. I wouldn't recommend doing it over and over.

I have been experimenting with the water in my 29 gallon for a while. I added bio stones to harbor good bacteria and algae. My saltwater pool has it growing everywhere! I have been just rinsing them out but not scrubbing. I don't think its unsafe but I can't say it is safe either.

OMG I am a lazy crabber. I only change the water/ clean the bowls once a week.

Do you think it’s ok if I change mine every other day and some times the day after if I get home late! They are small dishes and don’t have any sort of bubblers, I have never checked the amonia or nitrate levels do you think there could be some problems?


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With the smaller, non-bubbler pools I think once every 3 days is okay. Once every other day is probably better, but if you don't have time, I would just stir the pool a bit whenever you can. The bubblers are quite cheap and easy to set up though, you can get everything for under 30 dollars at the pet store and setting it up is really quick it seems.

Ya it’s just the pools are kinda small since there in a ten gallon I don’t think there is room to add bubblers. Do you know we’re to find a cheap 20 gallon


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Hermielover121 wrote:Ya it’s just the pools are kinda small since there in a ten gallon I don’t think there is room to add bubblers. Do you know we’re to find a cheap 20 gallon


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Your best bet is to watch for the $1/gal sales and to check places like LetGo and Craigslist etc in your area. There are typically several options in my rural area. Good luck! As for water... I must be a lazy crabber too, cause it’s once a week unless they poop in it a bunch or throw a big pile of sand over the side! Most of mine are bigger than tiny tho. Only one of my tanks is small, and I just keep an eye on those and sometimes add or change mid week or so.


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My hermit crabs love to get all the eco earth they can and dump it in the water I literally cleaned that night


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Oh and thanks for advice


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Hermielover121 wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 30, 2020 11:56 am

Ya it’s just the pools are kinda small since there in a ten gallon I don’t think there is room to add bubblers. Do you know we’re to find a cheap 20 gallon


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I would get a tank on ebay- sometimes you can get lucky and sometimes not. I got a 50gal and a ton of stuff for 55 dollars on ebay, drove about an hour to pick it up. A steal if you ask me if there are none that suit your fancy, the dollar a gallon sales that they mentioned below at petco are awesome too!

Do you anyone on HCA that would have one or would know about getting one


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Your best bet is to check Facebook marketplace, Craigslist and other similar places people sell stuff. Petco does a lot of $1 per gallon sales. If you would by a tank from someone, even just paying shipping would probably be comparable to buying a new tank at regular price.

Ya thanks I wish I could do from Petco dice it seems like such good deals but I’m in Canada and I don’t think they can ship across the border right now


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I am in Canada, and the local buy and sell pages on Facebook or local newspaper sites are where I have gotten my previous tanks really cheap. Heck, that's where I got my crabs in the first place LOL!

Lol thank I will check there


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