Since you've come to the emergency forum, we know you want a fast answer to your question. In order for us to figure out the problem as quickly as possible, we ask that you answer the following questions by coping and pasting this list into a New Topic. Some of them may seem odd, but they're all designed to give us the information we need to give you a good solution for your problem. Thanks!
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
•The kind or substrate I use is a mix of Playsand and EcoEarth and it is 6.5" deep
2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
•I have an accurite digital hygrometer/thermometer in the center of the tank, and the temperature is always 80°F except during the night, where it drops to 78°F. The humidity remains at 80%.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
•I have an Ultratherm heat pad on the back of my tank, and I know while not recommended, a human heat pad on the side that I turn on when the temperature drops too low.
4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
•I have a Ziploc container of fw and a large rock-like bowl for saltwater. Both are conditioned with Seachem Prime, and I use Fritz RPM for my saltwater.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
•I feed a variety of organic fruits, vegetables, herbs, protein foods, grains, and I've fed organic dairy food in August. I replace food every other day.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
•I got my first two crabs in the past April, and the newer three during the summer, around June? All are PPs.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
•My crabs have all molted at least once in my care, and the one that passed away was currently going through the molting process.
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
•My crabs are in a 40 gallon ExoTerra terrarium. The lid is a locking screen lid with plastic on the underside instead of on top to prevent rust.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
•I had 5. Three medium-large crabs and two tiny-borderline small crabs.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
•I do not have the exact count as many have been buried, but I'd say around 25-30 shells were in the tank.
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
•Not recently, no.
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
•I haven't ever done a deep clean, but I spot clean whenever i find a mess.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
•I Haven't used sponges due to the fear of dangerous bacteria.
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
•I added a wheel a few months ago and the new fw pool, but nothing major.
15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
•No, I don't do much besides maintenance.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
•I came home and opened the tank, seeing my tiny crab, Siam, eating something. When I looked over a bit more, I saw a pale, soft, and hairless crab dead with a missing abdomen. I checked to see if it was an exoskeleton, but it wasn't. I knew that Siam couldn't have done this due to his size, but I remembered that I have a big crab, Ozark that was up. I was in total shock at the sight of this, and I do not know what to do with the body, whether I should leave it for them to eat, or remove it and throw it away or bury him. I am unable to identify the crab due to his lack of color.
5 PPs: Koa, Moja, Siam, Chella, and Ozark
Dave the Wondercrab~ Patpat the Scaredy Cat~*Prince~ MaggieMoo- Dumbo~ Billy