HCA: Hermit Crab Association

as you can see on the cholla wood, there's a dark spot near the end...now, that happened AS SOON AS I put it in the substrate...just assuming it sucked up some of the water that was in the substrate (playsand and H2O)...but it doesn't seem to be going away..

to worry or not to worry? I don't want something funky in there killing my crabs..and they do like to hang out on that log

It looks to me like its just wet from the substrate. What does your humidity gauge read? My cholla has never molded...ever. It is said that cholla wood doesn't mold easily.

Try boiling the wood just to be sure. Then, spray the wood and your whole tank while your at it with salt water. This will prevent molt from growing in your tat. Plus, your crabs will like the treat of salt water on everything.

Hope this helps.

my humidity gauge is usually around 80 to 84..unless I open it and am tinkering around, feeding etc, etc....

that's what I was figuring that it was just wet..I'll take another look see to see if it's going away..it was INSTANT as soon as I put it in there..lol....

Yes, mold wouldn't grow that fast. Its most likely the cholla wood absorbing the water in the sand.

Edit: I don't know if your going to do this, but just to experiment take the wood out of the tat for an hour and see if the "stain" goes away.

HermitCrab23 wrote:Yes, mold wouldn't grow that fast. Its most likely the cholla wood absorbing the water in the sand.

Edit: I don't know if your going to do this, but just to experiment take the wood out of the tat for an hour and see if the "stain" goes away.

good idea...if Mr. Anderson gets off the stupid thing long enough for me to do that! hehehe..he seems more interested in having a bird's eye view of things during the day than hanging out in either of the hideys I got for him...

From my experience not mold. If you had mold in your tank you can smell it Its quite a smell too, drove me batty until I could find the source.

I'm going to go with everyone and says it just absorbing the water from the sand being moist

KrisDutt wrote:From my experience not mold. If you had mold in your tank you can smell it Its quite a smell too, drove me batty until I could find the source.

I'm going to go with everyone and says it just absorbing the water from the sand being moist

I'm sure you're right =D was just being cautious...I've smelled mold on bread and such before and it ain't pleasant!

speaking of which, the tank will have an odor to it right? I mean, depending on what you have in there..but i'm sure the humidity mixed with things like wet sand, some food and say a wet peice of cholla or cork bark have a smell to them

I think the optimal smell is earthy.

shreder75 wrote: I'm sure you're right =D was just being cautious...I've smelled mold on bread and such before and it ain't pleasant!

speaking of which, the tank will have an odor to it right? I mean, depending on what you have in there..but i'm sure the humidity mixed with things like wet sand, some food and say a wet peice of cholla or cork bark have a smell to them

I don't blame you being cautious, mold is not a friend

I think earthy is a good way to describe But my tank does has a slight earthy type odor. Nothing offending though

earthy! Genius! LOL...exactamundo. Just like wet earth or the woods when they're damp.

I guess I'm doing ok...lol

while I have you here:

does cork bark soak up moisture? Can it lower the humidity in your tank?

Ifyou wet the bark before you put it in, it will actually help the humidity

hopefully Mr. Anderson gets off the cholla soon. Maybe while your sleeping he'll come up and just whenyou wake up he'll scurry back up!!!

HermitCrab23 wrote:Ifyou wet the bark before you put it in, it will actually help the humidity

hopefully Mr. Anderson gets off the cholla soon. Maybe while your sleeping he'll come up and just whenyou wake up he'll scurry back up!!!

hmm..I hadn't thought of that..maybe I'll give that a few squirts to keep the humidity more stabilized

I actually mist mine to help keep it up I have 3 large pieces of it in my tank and knock on wood its still good

I'll have to mist it some tonight...

Mr. Anderson still won't get his crabby butt off of that peice of cholla..lol...I noticed at night that Crabby comes outta the hut and climbs up to hang out with him....then when I get up in the morning crabby's back in the hidey and Mr. Anderson is in the same general area..so I don't knwo if he's leaving the spot and coming back or not leaving at all

I have a tree branch that I got from outside. I sprayed it thoroughly with salt water, really soaked it good, and periodically I spray the moss pit and the branch, and have not had problems with mold. Salt water kills a lot of nasty stuff but is safe for the crabs, so you can use it if you're worried about mold.