Jennycat wrote:1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Coconut fiber
H: How 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? 80 and 80
H: I would calibrate your hydrometer to be safe. 80% is the min.
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Small heater attached to side and red bulb
H: Heat lamps zap humidity. You would be safer buying a heat mat and putting it over the sub on the back of 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)? Yes we use both water types
H: What declaring actor and salt mix brands do you use?
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? Commercial foods and an assortment of fresh foods daily . Apples , hibiscus , cutle bone, carrots
H: Toss the commercial food, it's actually awful for the crabs. You should definitely provide more proteins like dead insects and meats.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? 4 weeks purple claw
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? I think maybe today
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 10gal tank mesh lid with plastic over half for humidity
H: A glass tank would be better for humidity.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? There are currently 3 2 fairly large and one smaller
H: Your a bit overcrowded. I recommend upgrading to minimize aggression between crabs.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? 8
H: 3 extra per crab. Check the shell guide to make sure you have the proper shells
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how? I haven't yet
H: Just spot clean as needed.
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? Yes -boil in water every other day
H: Sponges are not actually necessary. Make sure you bowls are deep enough for your crabs to fully submerge but make sure you have a way out for the smaller crab.
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 dig the crabs up yesterday to check on them . The one then sat under a branch that is in the middle of the tank (still
Visible ) I moved him tonight and hie body (or maybe just his exoskeleton ) fell out . I believe I might have saw him still inside but didn't want to bother him too much . I sat him back where I found him and left the exoskeleton beside him .
H: Never ever dig up a crab! They were probably de-stressing after the long journey to the pet store.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail. The info noted above . And in first post .
