1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
It's this"
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Quikrete-50- ... 00318518It goes from an inch to 5 or 6 inches. I am looking for coco fiber but will likely have to order it.
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. In the middle nearish the top. 80 temp and humidity varies. If I'm home spraying etc 50 ish. ( This is the reason I came here, I need help with this. )
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
7 watt side heater and night bulb. Also need help. The one that came with the tank is too hot. I was thinking of buying a 60 gallon tank heater and buying some led lights but how would they get uva. A low wattage day 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)?
Freshwater and Instant Ocean mix. Currently betta dechlorination since I read I can't use one with slime coat which is my other option. Can I use Prime?
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Krill and Shrimp pieces. I had bought hermit crab food but it said to feed with cakes which I hadn't picked up. I went to buy the food but read it was shrimp which I already had and the protein was a higher amount.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
A week for three of them and the other three a few days. One died from the second batch so currently 5 and going to keep it that way.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
No.
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. Screen lid with saran wrap on most of it.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
5. Three small, one medium, one large.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
9 or 10.
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No.
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
As needed. Replace and clean food dish daily, fresh water daily. Haven't needed to deep clean it all yet but likely replace all of the sand etc.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
Just added today but do they need to be IN the dishes? Why?
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat 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.)?
I'm frustrated on trying to regulate the humidity, temp. One crab died a couple days after getting him. A couple tunneled I'm afraid because the humidity isn't high enough. I am NOT close to ANY petstore. I rely on Walmart mostly but but a LOT of my animal stuff online. Closest petstore is an hour away.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
One crab died and I'm afraid of more deaths. I need help with temp and humidity control and diet too please. Also why is the smell of the tank so awful! It's clean just switched them to this tank.
wodesorel wrote:Sounds like you're a little overwhelmed!
The pet store lady was right that the basic kit can work, but there's a lot of stuff in there that needed to be tossed to make it crab safe.
First off, if the crabs are new I don't think the conditions are the cause of the one that died. Post Purchase Syndrome is a major killer and unavoidable, and unless you cooked them or froze them a few days of imperfectness is not enough to permanently harm them. More likely they were already suffering when you got them. We have an article on PPS here that explains it all in detail:
viewtopic.php?f=67&t=92531
Now - on to the kit. Are you using the sand that came with it? If so - toss it! That's a calcium sand and is bad for the hermits. It grows bacteria and clings to them when wet. You need to get some regular children's playsand, which is silica based. Make it moist enough so it holds it's shape without dripping - this lets dig tunnels to molt safely, and it boosts your humidity levels. Add in some moistened cocofiber for an even bigger humidity boost - most crabbers suggest 5 parts sand to 1 part cocofiber but if you're having trouble you can use more cocofiber for a bigger impact.
I'd say a good 95% of the time, properly maintained substrate is all you need to keep your humidity levels where they need to be. The substrate will dry out, so you have to keep up with it and make sure it stays moist without becoming flooded.
Also - do you know what your temperature and humidity levels are? You can't guess! We humans suck at guessing the weather, and hermits need to be around 80 degrees and 80% humidity. With heat lamps there is a trade off between heat and humidity, so you have to get a little creative and seal up the lid, put the water bowls beneath the light, or add in moist moss pits that will help to offset the dryness.
You can dust the food for them, but it's kind of overkill. Shrimp and krill are both loaded in calcium and hermits do not have such a high need for supplements as reptiles do. Better to leave a little dish out and let them eat what they feel they need. Are they getting anything else to eat? They need fruit daily, and veggies and plant matter, too!
The link that SG gave you has all the questions we need to know to be able to get a full picture of what's going on and be able to give the best advice possible.
Thanks for the reply! I am overwhelmed, feel like I'm doing everything wrong. I'll check out the post purchase syndrome. Looks like I need to research more on diet.
I'm thinking these changes need to be made: Higher wattage heating pad, lamp for uva but low wattage, mixing water with substrate like a sand castle and add coco fiber. I'll be doing what I can tonight and have to wait for more supplies to arrive. Does this sound like a good plan at all?
My tank:
), and I have also purchased from Deltona Seashells. I would base my choice of online stores off of reviews on this site e.g. I have every sized crab from 1/2 a grape up to a near-tennis-ball, so Deltona was my choice as I could buy in bulk and have minimal wastage of shells + get it cheap - postage costs would make up for what I had saved. It is difficult to tell whether your buried crabs have died as no matter the size crabs could be underground for 2months+, maybe the smell? I saw that you said your tank stinks, but I still would not immediately assume it is because of a dead crab. It's more of a wait (a long time) and see practice.