Naked crab

[Hermitkrab78]

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 as best you can. 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. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Coconut substrate and its 3 inchs 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?
Temperature is usually at 72 73 because of it being winter where I live but because of spring it more at 78. Humidity is normally at 73

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
A heat lamp with a 50w night bulb. A 10 gallon heating pad and a 20 gallon heating pad.

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 give the bottled water and I mixed aquarium salt with aqueon dechlorinator and tap water for there salt water.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Every night I put a leafy veg in there bowl or fruit depending on what is in the house. I also give them cuttle fish bone.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
1 and a half years and unkown species.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
The crab is currently molting or just was

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 gallon long with a screen lid and a towl over 3/4 of the lid.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2 the crab in question is baout 2 inches and the other is 1 and a half

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
about 7 extra shell at a time

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
no

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
every night I will clean out there water if they have been in it because they track substrate into it and if they didn't use it ill leave it alone. I look for poop every 4 days. Changed the substrate about every 6 months

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No sponges

14. Has anything new been added to your habitat recently?
No

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.)?
Every so often if I see the crabs out I will let them walk around on my bed.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
The crab in question Reginald has been molting for about a week and a half now. He is doing it under a half coconut shell the I have in there tank. I am able to see in the shell if I look directly into the opening of the coconut and I have been able to see "him" inside is shell when I look every so often. But when I looked the last time I saw that he was not in his shell and lifted the coconut to see that he is naked. I touched him and presumed that he had died. So I want to take him out so I could go bury him but when I did he moved so I put him back down and haven't looked at him sense. Its been about 14 mins. He has not acted differently up to this point. sorry about no pic i dont want to disturb him again but I can say he was pail but I believe that to because he was molting.

[angelbear]

I put my responces under yours.

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 as best you can. 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. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Coconut substrate and its 3 inchs deep

Angelbear-HCA recomends 6 inches or 3 times the hight of the largest crab whichever is deeper. Most also sugfest a 5 to 1 playsand and ecofiber mixture to hold in moister.

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?
Temperature is usually at 72 73 because of it being winter where I live but because of spring it more at 78. Humidity is normally at 73

Angelbear-HCA recomends 75 to 80% Humidity with a temp of 72 to 75 degrees

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?

A heat lamp with a 50w night bulb. A 10 gallon heating pad and a 20 gallon heating pad.

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 give the bottled water and I mixed aquarium salt with aqueon dechlorinator and tap water for there salt water.

Angelbear- even bottle water needs to be declorniated. Aquarium salt alsondoes not contain the right minerals needed for saltwater. Most if us user Instant Ocean. It might be a little pricy but it lasts a long time.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Every night I put a leafy veg in there bowl or fruit depending on what is in the house. I also give them cuttle fish bone.

Angelbear- Hermits need a varied diet which contains protien, fruits, vegetables, lipids, calcium there is a recomended food guide in this sight located here:

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 25&t=92554

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
1 and a half years and unkown species.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
The crab is currently molting or just was

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 gallon long with a screen lid and a towl over 3/4 of the lid.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2 the crab in question is baout 2 inches and the other is 1 and a half

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
about 7 extra shell at a time



11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
no

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
every night I will clean out there water if they have been in it because they track substrate into it and if they didn't use it ill leave it alone. I look for poop every 4 days. Changed the substrate about every 6 months

Angelbear: deep cleanjng the substrate is not recommended or needed unless their is a major occurrence such as closing, bacterial blooms, kr an infestation of some sort.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No sponges

14. Has anything new been added to your habitat recently?
No

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.)?
Every so often if I see the crabs out I will let them walk around on my bed.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
The crab in question Reginald has been molting for about a week and a half now. He is doing it under a half coconut shell the I have in there tank. I am able to see in the shell if I look directly into the opening of the coconut and I have been able to see "him" inside is shell when I look every so often. But when I looked the last time I saw that he was not in his shell and lifted the coconut to see that he is naked. I touched him and presumed that he had died. So I want to take him out so I could go bury him but when I did he moved so I put him back down and haven't looked at him sense. Its been about 14 mins. He has not acted differently up to this point. sorry about no pic i dont want to disturb him again but I can say he was pail but I believe that to because he was molting.

Right now your main focus should be to reshell your crab as soon as possiable. Hermits only leave their shell when they are too weak to hang on to it, they are forced out by another crab, or something is irritating them. Usy its the first. Without a shell they become hydrated and can easily become injured. There is a guide here to help with that process

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 8#p1096388

[Hermitkrab78]

I did not see your replay after refreshing a bunch of times so I looked somethings up and I saw something that said he might just be molting so I was just going to leave him. Thank you for the reply I will do as told.

[curlysister]

Crabs do not leave their shells to molt. As Angelbear stated, a naked crab is an emergency - a crab will die without a shell. The link that Angelbear gave to the care sheet, gives all the information you need to try to get your crab to take a shell, and to manually re-shell him if he will not.

[Hermitkrab78]

Thank you all for your help but sadly he has passed on. I tripled checked everything I could before burying in the ground everything that I read pointed to him being dead. I did try to re shell him but he died the next morning. I had him for about a year and a half I got him from a county fair were they had a whole bunch of them in a bird cage and it made me sick. So I won one and thats how I got him and the next day I bought my other one as a friend. Thank you again for your help in trying to save him. Now that he is gone I do have a question about his friend phosphorus. They never really looked like they were best friends but never fought either so I am wondering if I should get a new one. I would rather not for I do feel blessed to have had them both I would rather not keep buying more crabs. In your opinions should I wait to see how phosphorous does or to see if I should buy a new one?

Thank you again for the help.

[keeliaa]

crabs get lonely so they do need a friend. however dont get another crab until you improve your tank conditions from the advice angelbear gave and from the care sheets


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[FJrocks003]

I put my responces under yours.



Right now your main focus should be to reshell your crab as soon as possiable. Hermits only leave their shell when they are too weak to hang on to it, they are forced out by another crab, or something is irritating them. Usy its the first. Without a shell they become hydrated and can easily become injured. There is a guide here to help with that process

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 8#p1096388

I'm pretty sure the recommended temp is 80, not 72-75.

[JoeHermits]

I'm pretty sure the recommended temp is 80, not 72-75.

72-75F is perfectly acceptable for PPs.


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[FJrocks003]

72-75F is perfectly acceptable for PPs.


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Oh, okay. I think you might need to update the care guides then, on there it says "Between 75 and 85 is ideal, although there is evidence that they can handle and may even enjoy higher temperatures. Most crabbers recommend a temperature of 80 degrees as PPs seem most comfortable and will be most active. Temperatures between 70 and 75 will cause PPs to be sluggish and could potentially cause health problems long-term. If their enclosure is lower than 70 it can cause hibernation and a serious risk of illness and death due to the cold.". Is this correct, or should I lower the temps?

[JoeHermits]

That may need to be updated. Thanks!


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[Quinnthescrub]

what can you do to keep the crab in the shell, once one of mine kept leaving the shell until it died, it was very weak and I don't know how to make them strong enough to stay in a shell after it leaves

[DragonsFly]

Now that he is gone I do have a question about his friend phosphorus. They never really looked like they were best friends but never fought either so I am wondering if I should get a new one. I would rather not for I do feel blessed to have had them both I would rather not keep buying more crabs. In your opinions should I wait to see how phosphorous does or to see if I should buy a new one?

Thank you again for the help.

AFTER you have optimized your tank conditions, if you would still like to have another crab, you can look around and see if there are any to adopt in your area (please don't buy; it only encourages the cruel "wild-harvesting" trade at this point). If you would rather not keep crabs for the next 20 years (they can live up to 30 years in captivity), then consider offering Phosphorus for adoption to someone else who may be in a similar situation with one crab.

I think they probably do best in captivity as a pair (the longest-lived crabs in captivity were Carol Ormes' pair). However, I do not think that crabs get "lonely" the way people do, and I also do not think it is anything urgent to provide them with a "friend." Remember that these are animals that regularly spend weeks, months, and eventually years underground molting (my Major Tom has been down now for coming up on 2 years this time), in a burrow, alone. So their perception of time is very different from ours, and their expectation of having company is also very different.

But the first thing to do is to make your conditions as good as you can, so you don't end up having a similar sad outcome for Phosphorus. You need deeper substrate so he can burrow down and make a proper cave for molting in, and hermit crabs need sources of protein and chitin; veg and fruit and cuttlebone are good, but you need to add protein and chitin sources.