Heating Issues

[rf9661]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
I use EcoEarth and play sand, the substrate is around 5.5".

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 no thermometers or hygrometers in the tank.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
I use a ZooMed UTH on the corner of the tank.
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 provide fresh and salt water. I use the ZooMed Hermit Crab fresh water dechlorinator and Instant Ocean for the salt water.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I use a variety of foods from the Hermit Crab Patch.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have 4 Strawberrys and 2 PPs.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Info on this below.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
200 gallon 6ft wide and 4 feet deep aquarium.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
3 large, and 3 medium.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
There are around 7 extra shells.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
None at all.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Every 4-5 months, a deep clean is done.

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

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
Not recently.

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.)?
Not at this time.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Its getting to low 60s and 50s here in Miami, FL and Im wondering what I can do to heat up the aquarium more. Im using heat pads and 2 heat bulbs but they're not doing enough. I prefer bulbs since Ive noticed that the heat pads don't heat the environment very much. All of my crabs have dug down I believe due to the cold. Im trying to heat it up by covering the top but I don't think its enough. Please help.

Regards,
Richard

[megmaholm]

If you want to get good heat, most pet store UTHs don't work. The recommended brand is Ultratherm, which can only be bought online, but they're relatively inexpensive and do a great job. They can also be safely insulated to boost temps more. You would want the biggest size that fits on the back of your tank above the substrate line. With a tank the size you have, you may need a couple to cover the back. You can increase the wattage of your heat bulbs, but it's going to kill your humidity. I don't have experience heating tanks that size, but I would think a combination of a good, insulated UTH and heat bulbs will do the trick.

You absolutely need a thermometer and hygrometer in your tank. Your crabs need 80 degrees and 80% humidity; temps less than 70 will kill them and low humidity slowly will as well. It's not something you can guess on.

[rf9661]

If you want to get good heat, most pet store UTHs don't work. The recommended brand is Ultratherm, which can only be bought online, but they're relatively inexpensive and do a great job. They can also be safely insulated to boost temps more. You would want the biggest size that fits on the back of your tank above the substrate line. With a tank the size you have, you may need a couple to cover the back. You can increase the wattage of your heat bulbs, but it's going to kill your humidity. I don't have experience heating tanks that size, but I would think a combination of a good, insulated UTH and heat bulbs will do the trick.

You absolutely need a thermometer and hygrometer in your tank. Your crabs need 80 degrees and 80% humidity; temps less than 70 will kill them and low humidity slowly will as well. It's not something you can guess on.

Ok! I absolutely understand. Ive had Hermit Crabs for around 3 years now. Which hygrometer and thermometer would you recommend and how much do you think an UltraTherm will raise the temperature in the tank. My main concern with the UTHs is that the heat is only concentrated where the pad is so the crabs would have to be in that corner when its cold. Plus, in Miami is barely ever gets cold so I wouldn't want to spend anything too crazy when I would only be using the heating elements around 1-3 months a year. Please let me know.

Regards,
Richard

[megmaholm]

People have good luck with Acurite digital thermometer/hygrometer combo that costs about $10 from Walmart or Amazon. Whatever you get, the hygrometer will need calibrated to make sure you're getting an accurate reading.

Check our reptilebasics.com for Ultratherm sizes/prices. If you get one that covers most of the back of your tank it will disperse the heat more evenly. I can't even guess what it'll raise your temps to since it depends on your house temp, tank size, etc. In my 55 gallon, an insulated Ultratherm raises the temps 15+ degrees in a 70ish degree house, but that's a much smaller tank than yours. It may take some experimentation to get things to work for you, but I think a large, good quality Ultratherm is a good first step.

[rf9661]

People have good luck with Acurite digital thermometer/hygrometer combo that costs about $10 from Walmart or Amazon. Whatever you get, the hygrometer will need calibrated to make sure you're getting an accurate reading.

Check our reptilebasics.com for Ultratherm sizes/prices. If you get one that covers most of the back of your tank it will disperse the heat more evenly. I can't even guess what it'll raise your temps to since it depends on your house temp, tank size, etc. In my 55 gallon, an insulated Ultratherm raises the temps 15+ degrees in a 70ish degree house, but that's a much smaller tank than yours. It may take some experimentation to get things to work for you, but I think a large, good quality Ultratherm is a good first step.

Ok. Another issue that I've encountered that I forgot to mention is that my Hermit Crabs are outside. Thats why the temps are so low. I don't know if a UTH will heat as well outside due to heat loss. I think I will go with heating bulbs but the humidity concerns me. How could I raise the humidity to 80% with the heating bulbs?

Regards,
Richard

[aussieJJDude]

Is it possible to move your crabbies inside. I understand that in the wild, PP's to live there. But they have a variety of micro-climates to choose from. However, in such a small system - aka our tank - that doesn't happen. If your unable to move the tank inside, insulate the tank.
Eg:
Glass || Tin Foil || Styrofoam || Cardboard
^^^ That should do the trick, covering the entire back, and the 2 sides. It might be worth doing the same along the front where the substrate is; our tanks loose a lot of heat from the glass and every inch covered helps.

Another option might be to upgrade the UTH if you haven't done so already - Ultratherms are a good choice that most recommended - or like you said, heat bulbs. Most heat bulbs do fine in most crabitats, as long as the humidity is around 75% and up the crabs will be fine. If your looking to boost your humidity - in the event it does come low - air stones in the water dishes help, along with wet sphagnum moss.

[jclee]

I would advise you to think about ways to move the tank inside for a few reasons, the main one being the ongoing stability of their climate.

I will also admit that, while I am in the minority, I have always preferred heat lamps. However, I would never use one (or even a heat mat) outside. Neither would be terribly safe in a rainstorm.

[rf9661]

Hello all,

Just a little update. I went ahead and ordered 2 75W Infrared Heat Bulbs and 2 5.0 UVB lights and a digital thermometer and hygrometer to get better readings. Thank you all for your excellent support!

Many Thanks,
Richard