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? Mixture of playland and cocofiber. 5:1 ratio.
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? Yes, on the back glass, mid-way up. Temp 75, Humidity 73-74
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Yes, heat lamp on top with both a nocturnal red heat bulb and a daytime heat bulb.
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)? Fresh and salt.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? Pellets, dried shrimp. New food is given every couple of days or as needed.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? 2 of the crabs approx 3 weeks, 1 crab less than 24 hours.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? One may possibly be molting now, but not sure. The others have not.
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 tank. Mesh lid with heat lamp on top. Moist paper towels (as directed by pet store) ate surrounding the lamp and covering the rest of the mesh lid.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 3 crabs. All are small. One is slightly larger.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? Half a dozen. I have ordered more but they haven't arrived yet.
[i][color=#A9A9A9]11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? No.
[i][color=#A9A9A9]12. How often do you clean the tank and how? Have not cleaned aside from scooping food debris.
[i][color=#A9A9A9]13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? No.
[i][color=#A9A9A9]14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? New crab, yesterday evening.
[i][color=#A9A9A9]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.)? Yesterday, a few hours after adding the new crab, the biggest was very aggressive with the new. The old was picking the new uo and flailing at the new. The new was hunkered in its shell.
[i][color=#A9A9A9]16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I added a new crab yesterday evening, maybe 13 hours ago.
One of the crabs I already had was very aggressive with the new crab, but as of when I went to sleep last night, they had calmed down. This morning I woke to the new crab lying, out of his shell, under the coconut hut. The old crab was pretty close to the new crab. Now the older is on the opposite side of the tank and the newer remains out of his shell. I cannot tell if it is dead or just lying there.
.
New crab is out of his shell
-
curlysister
- Administrator
- Posts: 4292
- Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 3:54 pm
- Location: Manitoba, Canada
Re: New crab is out of his shell
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Mixture of playland and cocofiber. 5:1 ratio.
Curly - How deep? Is it moistened with dechlorinated water so that it holds it's shape?
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? Yes, on the back glass, mid-way up. Temp 75, Humidity 73-74
Curly - That's on the lower end of safe humidity.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Yes, heat lamp on top with both a nocturnal red heat bulb and a daytime heat bulb.
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)? Fresh and salt.
Curly - What brands of dechlorinator and salt?
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? Pellets, dried shrimp. New food is given every couple of days or as needed.
Curly - Many commercial foods contain preservatives that aren't safe long term. Read through our 'nutrition' care sheet for full info about diet. They need a variety, including animal protein and calcium daily.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? 2 of the crabs approx 3 weeks, 1 crab less than 24 hours.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? One may possibly be molting now, but not sure. The others have not.
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 tank. Mesh lid with heat lamp on top. Moist paper towels (as directed by pet store) ate surrounding the lamp and covering the rest of the mesh lid.
Curly - Heat lamps are known to zap humidity. Paper towels are pourous and won't hold in humidity. Most of us use a heat mat (aka UTH or under tank heater) on the back or size (never underneath) the tank. This provides heat while not drying out the air, and allows us to put a non-pourous cover on the tank (even plastic wrap).
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 3 crabs. All are small. One is slightly larger.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? Half a dozen. I have ordered more but they haven't arrived yet.
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? No.
12. How often do you clean the tank and how? Have not cleaned aside from scooping food debris.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? No.
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? New crab, yesterday evening.
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.)? Yesterday, a few hours after adding the new crab, the biggest was very aggressive with the new. The old was picking the new uo and flailing at the new. The new was hunkered in its shell.
Curly - Many of us will give both old and new crabs a quick dip in the fresh water so everyone smells that same, when introducing a new crab to the tank.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I added a new crab yesterday evening, maybe 13 hours ago.
One of the crabs I already had was very aggressive with the new crab, but as of when I went to sleep last night, they had calmed down. This morning I woke to the new crab lying, out of his shell, under the coconut hut. The old crab was pretty close to the new crab. Now the older is on the opposite side of the tank and the newer remains out of his shell. I cannot tell if it is dead or just lying there.
Curly - A crab without a shell will die. Does he move at all, if you touch him? You will need to isolate him from the other crabs, and get him back in a shell if he is alive. Read the 'naked crab' care sheet for info on how to do that. Have you read through out other care sheets yet? Start with the 'basics' and go from there.
Curly - How deep? Is it moistened with dechlorinated water so that it holds it's shape?
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? Yes, on the back glass, mid-way up. Temp 75, Humidity 73-74
Curly - That's on the lower end of safe humidity.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Yes, heat lamp on top with both a nocturnal red heat bulb and a daytime heat bulb.
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)? Fresh and salt.
Curly - What brands of dechlorinator and salt?
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? Pellets, dried shrimp. New food is given every couple of days or as needed.
Curly - Many commercial foods contain preservatives that aren't safe long term. Read through our 'nutrition' care sheet for full info about diet. They need a variety, including animal protein and calcium daily.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? 2 of the crabs approx 3 weeks, 1 crab less than 24 hours.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? One may possibly be molting now, but not sure. The others have not.
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 tank. Mesh lid with heat lamp on top. Moist paper towels (as directed by pet store) ate surrounding the lamp and covering the rest of the mesh lid.
Curly - Heat lamps are known to zap humidity. Paper towels are pourous and won't hold in humidity. Most of us use a heat mat (aka UTH or under tank heater) on the back or size (never underneath) the tank. This provides heat while not drying out the air, and allows us to put a non-pourous cover on the tank (even plastic wrap).
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 3 crabs. All are small. One is slightly larger.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? Half a dozen. I have ordered more but they haven't arrived yet.
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? No.
12. How often do you clean the tank and how? Have not cleaned aside from scooping food debris.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? No.
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? New crab, yesterday evening.
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.)? Yesterday, a few hours after adding the new crab, the biggest was very aggressive with the new. The old was picking the new uo and flailing at the new. The new was hunkered in its shell.
Curly - Many of us will give both old and new crabs a quick dip in the fresh water so everyone smells that same, when introducing a new crab to the tank.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
I added a new crab yesterday evening, maybe 13 hours ago.
One of the crabs I already had was very aggressive with the new crab, but as of when I went to sleep last night, they had calmed down. This morning I woke to the new crab lying, out of his shell, under the coconut hut. The old crab was pretty close to the new crab. Now the older is on the opposite side of the tank and the newer remains out of his shell. I cannot tell if it is dead or just lying there.
Curly - A crab without a shell will die. Does he move at all, if you touch him? You will need to isolate him from the other crabs, and get him back in a shell if he is alive. Read the 'naked crab' care sheet for info on how to do that. Have you read through out other care sheets yet? Start with the 'basics' and go from there.
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went." -Will Rogers