HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I have a problem with condensation in my tank. I know that it is because I have my house cooler then it is in the crabitat. I'm working on moving the tank but have some cleaning in the spare bedroom first. I wipe the condensation every day or other day, however I still notice a musty smell. It gets fainter after I wipe the walls and I know there is no mold. I have a good nose and the smells are different. I know that crabs can smell.. Can this smell bother them? I also don't want to persist into mold. Anyone else have this problem or any suggestions? :dunno:

Do you have a hygrometer?

You may have too much humidity, if you have moss, get rid of it for now and see what happens.

if you have a plexi glass lid, replace it with a mesh lid, and cover only half with a plastic bag.thats may help.

stop misting the tank if you are for a day and see what happens.

the musty smell, you could try airing out the tank.

hope this helps

as for the crabs being able to smell.
i dont think.
i mean in the wild they smell dead fish, and dead crabs, and that stinks worse than the musty smell, so im not sure if it bothers them.
ill look it up though that sounds interesting

Yes I have a humidity gauge. No moss and not misting every day - only when sand gets a little dry. The temp in my home is too cool (My family likes it that way). So I don't want to leave the lid open to air out. I do have a regular aquarium hood. My humidity is ok. I believe condensation forms when there is a temp difference... please correct me if i am wrong. Thanks for the input...

hmm..it could be because of the temp difference.
you know how when you get a can of soda from the fridge and it gets little droplets on the outside? that could be whats happening to your tank. its cold on the outside of the tank, and warm inside of it, with moisture. it could be doing the reverse effect and be doing condensation on the inside.
because there is moisture outside of the can, the droplets form there. since the moisure is inside the tank, and the heat is in the tank, it allows for condensation inside not the outside.Condensation forms only where there is heat. i dont think there will be a change unless the temprature on the outside, and the inside, are nearly similar. I have my house at 75 and the constant temprature of the tank is 78-79 at night, and 80 during the day. so i dont have condensation issues.
maybe that will work fr you?
ive never reallly had condensation problems.

Yea thats kinda what i was thinking...Only I was thinking when you have hot food going into the fridge. Same idea diffrent words. Well I think that once I move the tank into my spare bedroom everything will be fine. Its in the back of my house and the heat goes straight up the stairs into the room and I have no air conditioner in there in the summer. Now I just have to get to cleaning Thanks for the ideas and help!

no problem
thats what i meant with the hot food lol.

Good luck

I have the same issue because my house is very cold. It's not a big deal to the crabs, just a nuisance because you can't see them! As long as the humidity and temperature are ok, you don't have to worry about it. I just use a paper towel to wipe it off every morning.