HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I just upgraded my crabitat from a 10g to a 20g, and the crabs are loving it! All this extra activity got me thinking, maybe I should be rearranging/redecorating my tank more often.

What do you guys think? How often do you redecorate your crabitat?

I move things around every 1-2 weeks but every month I do a more deep-clean and redecorate.

Deep cleaning is not needed unless there is an emergency like a flood or bacterial bloom.

I hardly ever change things around. I might add a piece of cholla or something, but don't rearrange everything.`

SuggestedContent wrote:I just upgraded my crabitat from a 10g to a 20g, and the crabs are loving it! All this extra activity got me thinking, maybe I should be rearranging/redecorating my tank more often.

What do you guys think? How often do you redecorate your crabitat?

I’ve been experimenting with different layouts and materials in my crabitat.

Generally once a week I change things up while I’m cleaning up any buried or spilled food from the week .

The second story never moves. But the ramps get changed out about once a week. The shell shop, food and lagoons stay in their locations and don’t move.

The long egg crate ramp the boys didn’t use except to check on the moss it once had. So it was taken out. The plastic bridge I made for Crusty has been reused as a climbing platform. The cholla log moves around in the tank, but never leaves it.

I added the barrels on the upper floor to see what the boys would do with it and it has become their favorite hide/climbing space.

I did change my prefab lagoons (Flukers brand) out for a couple food storage tubs for more depth and swimming space after I found the boys didn’t use them (they couldn’t submerge, so never really used them) and one had a leak.

One of my tubs was swapped for an old fishbowl that has become one of the pools, complete with bubble stone.

Let your creativity run wild. Your crabs will love what you create.


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I absolutely love their new pool, what a great idea! This looks awesome! I’m always wanting to rearrange too and add new things, but was never sure I should...


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SuggestedContent wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 28, 2020 9:12 am

I just upgraded my crabitat from a 10g to a 20g, and the crabs are loving it! All this extra activity got me thinking, maybe I should be rearranging/redecorating my tank more often.

What do you guys think? How often do you redecorate your crabitat?

I clean/tidy up my crabitat weekly and monthly will move some things around or add new things:)
I wouldn't move things around every week because that would be pretty stressful on the crabs:)

My tank has been set up since 2010. I "redecorated" it when I moved. That's it.

crabbycasey wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:30 am

I absolutely love their new pool, what a great idea! This looks awesome! I’m always wanting to rearrange too and add new things, but was never sure I should...


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Yea, same. I think rearanging once a month is perfect as like already said once a week might stress them. I also like to add food dishes sometimes in different areas to make it seem more like foraging? I dont know, I also love to give the crabs large objects so they can carry it off and others can pick pieces off, though I am trying to cut down on this as it molds and they sometimes bury it. I am starting to take things out (like my cholla wood as it is somewhat submerged and I put it under the tank to dry. I plan on cleaing them with saltwater soon, but have been busy lately.