HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hey guys! As most of you have probably read in my eighteen-too-many posts, I currently have two crabs in my 50gal and another 2 buried in the old 20gal that I haven't moved yet. I've been itching to move them, I hear then scratch-scratching around all night long. Today, I was changing the water in the 20gal and saw a new hole- I peered in, and voila! I saw the shell of one of the crabs! So my first question: If I can see the crab, and he's not buried completely, is he really molting? Or just buried? Because I could totally reach down with my thumb and index finger and pop him out and into the 50gal.

Also, if it makes a difference, the 20gal is not in great condition. When I did a substrate change a while ago, I didn't remember that sand gets compressed when the crabs walk on it- the substrate is only 4 inches deep, possibly even 3 3/4. I have no idea how it compressed so much because it was a solid 6 inches during the substrate change. Anyway, there have also been mold outbreaks around random stray chia plants that keep popping up (how did you get there???) and the tank is not in the best area in terms of heat, because I had to move the 50gal into my room. What do you guys recommend I do? I really want to stick my fingers in there and pull him out... he's about an inch deep.

Keep them where they're at. Sometimes crabs will hide under bowls and various decorations and that'll be enough to satisfy them. I have this big budda decoration in my tank, and my tiny when I got them went directly under it ( still on the surface ) but in complete darkness and molted. You can never know what they're doing, so only move them when they finally come up on the surface. I'd keep the bare necessitates in the 20 gallon until they come up.

Xenpurgisn@cht wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 26, 2020 8:22 pm

Keep them where they're at. Sometimes crabs will hide under bowls and various decorations and that'll be enough to satisfy them. I have this big budda decoration in my tank, and my tiny when I got them went directly under it ( still on the surface ) but in complete darkness and molted. You can never know what they're doing, so only move them when they finally come up on the surface. I'd keep the bare necessitates in the 20 gallon until they come up.

ok, thanks for the advice. You're right, it's probably better to be safe than sorry.