HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi!
I'm getting ready to move, which means I need to move the 75 gal. It has 13 inches of sub at the lowest and i think 15 inches at the highest. I don't know how many crabs, there are 8 up right now. It's heavily planted, I don't handle them, I can't tell them apart and the most recent additions were 4 back in may from a rescue.

We need to spray both location for pests, the new location will be just a preventative spray. I figured that they could spray the new place, leave it open for 3 or 4 days, then move the tank over? they'll be fans running and everything will be wiped down beforehand.

For the crabs that were up, I was planning on putting them in a big sterilite bin with some sphagum moss and EE so that they have somewhere suitable to sit. They don't need depth as they'll be back in within 2 days. They MIGHT have to stay in the bin overnight, what would be a good way to heat it? I'm in central florida so it shouldn't get super cold at any time.
For molting crabs, I think I have an okay plan mapped out? I'll take out ALL the sub by hand/handscoop, and whenever I get an obvious molter/cave dweller they'll go in a separate shoebox bin by themselves. I'll scoop them up with their sand, pack it with at least an inch, keep their little hole dug and maybe put sphagnum moss over the hole opening and set them all inside a separate large tub for moving, so that they don't get jostled around.
But what should I do after I get the tank set up? I figured keep the ones that are obviously incapacitated in their separate containers until theyre up and moving, I might be able to rig a heat lamp above the main container and just spray them throughout the day. Watching them constantly won't be an issue, and I've ISO'd before so I know how to keep the temps stable.

Now for the hard part! :p
According to an online calculator, for 14 inches of substrate in the 75gl I need 490lbs of sand. I'm not 100% sure my math is right so I wanted to check.
300-400lbs be just straight playsand
I have a bag of course/rough grain sand that I'd like to add for varying textures, I don't think its more than 5-10lbs.
I think for 20% EE it came up to 98lbs? Can I get some help with how many of the compressed bricks of that I'd need to buy?
I do plan on putting some smaller organic particles into the substrate for more natural foraging behaviors, it'll most likely only b the first inch of substrate though. It includes compressed coconut chips, sphagnum moss, leaf litter, and chia/bird seeds.

Would a bag of a sand like this be harmful? http://www.petsmart.com/fish/supplies/d ... gid=300072
I'd also put it at the top layer of the sub. It seems to be a more "natural" sand, so it would have more than just mechanically crushed rock particles in it. The other trace minerals it talks about adding is the main reason I'm looking at it. Not that specific one, they have others that are supposed to be for different biotopes but that one seemed to be the most general one.

And one last thing, I promise!
I'd like to get a florescent hood that could hold a long UVB tube in the future. I don't understand how the hoods work, none of them seem to go over 36 inches? Do you set the hood on top of the lid, do you but half a lid then a hood for the other half of what?

THANK YOU in advance for anyone that offers help! If it wasn't for the nice people on this forum my first two would have died 4 years ago. Now I've been the rescuer helping other people with their crabs!

Following because I have a similar situation coming up in a few months ! The idea of a tote tat is a great idea! For our molters, I was planning on putting them in Tupperware containers (with holes of course) and as soon as our main tank is set up, putting the Tupperware containers in the main tank so all heat and humidity remain the same.


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Kermie16 wrote:Following because I have a similar situation coming up in a few months ! The idea of a tote tat is a great idea! For our molters, I was planning on putting them in Tupperware containers (with holes of course) and as soon as our main tank is set up, putting the Tupperware containers in the main tank so all heat and humidity remain the same.


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That was my first idea, but I'm not sure about everyone climbing all over them! Depending on how many I actually have molting I may do that.

Just throwing this out there but I have seen another HCA member who iso'd a hermie in a Tupperware and planted the bottom portion of the Tupperware into the sub of his tank and on top he put a container full of moss for the hermies to play in rather than disturbing the molter in the Tupperware. Actually now that I think about it, instead of a Tupperware, he used a kritter keeper. Very creative though:)


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And as a "reward" for everyone that read through the whole post, here are some pictures of my troop!

Hi fellow Central Floridian! Recently I adopted a 75 gallon set up and hermits from a fellow crabber from here. He put all of his hermits in a 5 gallon aquarium mainly filled with sub inside of a tote. There was only one that was buried at the time of transfer. That one he put in a tupperware container with sub. We are experiencing some cold right now because it rained, and tomorrow is supposed to get down to 30. He only traveled 2 hours, but he was used to traveling with them on a regular basis with them, and they are very personable crabs. They obviously did quite well with it.

As far as sand and ee. I used 4 bags of sand (200 lbs) and used 2 bricks of ee. He had brought me a 2 huge totes full of his sub, so I think you are accurate on your estimates.

For my 100 gallon tank I have a large UVB light. I purchased it off of Amazon. 48 inches

Beautiful pictures!!

Beautiful crabs!! GotButterflies, did he use the tote just to keep the 5gallon stable during transport?


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GotButterflies wrote:Hi fellow Central Floridian! Recently I adopted a set up and hermits from a fellow crabber from here. He put all of his hermits in a aquarium mainly filled with sub inside of a tote. There was only one that was buried at the time of transfer. That one he put in a tupperware container with sub. We are experiencing some cold right now because it rained, and tomorrow is supposed to get down to 30. He only traveled 2 hours, but he was used to traveling with them on a regular basis with them, and they are very personable crabs. They obviously did quite well with it.

As far as sand and ee. I used 4 bags of sand () and used 2 bricks of ee. He had brought me a 2 huge totes full of his sub, so I think you are accurate on your estimates.

For my tank I have a large UVB light. I purchased it off of Amazon.

The drive shouldn't be very long at all, the house is maybe 10 minutes away, if the traffics bad? But I might have to add some sand in there because the refilling might stretch over into the next day. I'm hoping I only have like 1 or 2 down because theres 9 up, and my normal inventory is 5-7 up at one time.

How do you have the UVB bulb mounted? Is it just the under the counter light fixture attached to a lid? I have the bulbs already from my bearded dragon. I'm not sure if the humidity would mess with the light fixture though.

I read this entire thread because: (a) it was extremely well-written, and (b) I haven't a 75 gallon tank that I'll eventually need to move, with some crabs down. The pictures were an exciting bonus, like extra takes at the movies after the credits.

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The 5 gallon tank fit perfectly inside the tote he used. I think he had a towel inside of the tote. He traveled 2 hours with his wife. I'm not sure where the hermits were in the vehicle. He used totes for the sand, and other supplies. Left the larger decor like the cholla and grape wood inside of the aquarium. It was all very well thought out!

As far as the light...I have glass lids. The hood that holds the bulb sits on top. It's one used for an aquarium. For the crabs to get the benefit of the uvb, I prop lids up when I am in the room and prop light up. Then I take press and seal and go around it. Either way, I run the light on a timer. My humidity stays between 93-99%. Hope that helps!


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What is the tank currently sitting on? Is there anyway to jack it up enough to get furniture movers under it so you can move the when stand and tank without taking everything apart.

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I'd expect if one moved a tank with that much sand still in it, there'd be great likelihood of cracking. Totes is probably a better option.

You have the most beautiful shells

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Also - those are gorgeous crabs!