HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I havent seen one of my crabs since i got him. His name is Gill and he had a missing pincher when he went down to molt. He's a small crab and i only saw him a few times before he went to molt. I havent seen him since November 20 and i feel like he would have come up by now? I dont smell anything in the tank im just really nervous for him. Suggestions on what to do would be great!? Thank you!

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Also, i have one other crab digging around right now hes not all the way under but he's close. If i should dig up gill what do you suggest i do with the other crab?


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I picked up the crab that was digging and hes missing his leg! He must have dropped it recently [DISAPPOINTED FACE]

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It sounds either like PPS or something is amiss in your tank. What are your tank conditions like? Where is your heat and humidity? How deep is your substrate? Can you post pictures of your set up?

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mool wrote:It sounds either like PPS or something is amiss in your tank. What are your tank conditions like? Where is your heat and humidity? How deep is your substrate? Can you post pictures of your set up?

Help us help you!

I decided to dig, hes alive and he was molting. Hes still soft so i put him in iso with the left over exo. I will get the info once i get the tank back together

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1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Eco Earth mixed with play sand 6 1/2 inches deep
2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read? Not right now, ive misplaced it and cant find it. They usually read 90% humidity and 78-82 in tempature
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Exoterra heat pad on back side of tank
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)? Both are in the tank. I cant remember the brand of dechlorinator atm but it comes in a yellow bottle if that helps? Its a popular brand. I use instant ocean salt mix and i put 1 tsp for 2 cups of water.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? I use hermit crab patch mixes, honey, organic coconut, and fruits and veggies. Its replaced every 1-2 days depending on wjat i put in.
How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? Ive had it since november of 2015 its a purple pincher.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? Yes, Recently, hes still in molting stages of hardening
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 10 gallon with a mesh lid wrapped in syran wrap to keep the humidity in. I also have a blanket on top of it to help with heat and humidity.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 4 crabs all smalls
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? 5-15 shells
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how? I just do spot cleans when changing water and food every three days or so.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? No


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This is the tank. The food isnt in there rn because i am changing it.

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mool wrote:It sounds either like PPS or something is amiss in your tank. What are your tank conditions like? Where is your heat and humidity? How deep is your substrate? Can you post pictures of your set up?

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Ive posted all the info

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Sometimes they bury and pop back up and bury again. Small/medium crabs can be down for a few months or more before resurfacing. They can also pull back to back molts.

tsp or Tbsp for the Instant Ocean? It would be one Tablespoon for 2 cups of water.

wodesorel wrote:tsp or Tbsp for the Instant Ocean? It would be one Tablespoon for 2 cups of water.

Tablespoon. I mixed it up

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I do that all the time. It's why I always have to write it out. Just wanted to double check!

wodesorel wrote:I do that all the time. It's why I always have to write it out. Just wanted to double check!

Is there anything i should do for Gill? Or do i need to just leave him alone for now?

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kadynadair16 wrote:

mool wrote:It sounds either like PPS or something is amiss in your tank. What are your tank conditions like? Where is your heat and humidity? How deep is your substrate? Can you post pictures of your set up?

Help us help you!

I decided to dig, hes alive and he was molting. Hes still soft so i put him in iso with the left over exo. I will get the info once i get the tank back together

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Because he is so little, its most likely he hasn't been molting the entire time. He probably went down to destress and then started his molt. 3 months does seem like a long while for a tiny crab to molt. He could have also pulled a back to back molt to fix up that big P. Glad he is OK!

mool wrote:It sounds either like PPS or something is amiss in your tank. What are your tank conditions like? Where is your heat and humidity? How deep is your substrate? Can you post pictures of your set up?

Help us help you!

Just a quick question. Can you smell a dead crab even if it's buried? I also have one that's been down a while but nowhere near as long as Gill hahaha

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