HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I replied GB for GotButterflies

bubblegumsweat wrote:1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
eco earth its arounf 6 inches
GB: It should be a minimum of 6" or three times the height of your largest crab. Whichever is deeper wins. It should also be mixed with dechlorinated msw or dechlorinated fw to make it sandcastle consistency.
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?
80f and 82% humidity they're located in the middle of the tank
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
a heating pad on the back
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)?
salt and fresh i bought salt water and fresh water from distilled water
GB: What kind of salt? It needs to be marine salt - in order to make a saltwater fish tank. For example - Instant Ocean/ Red Sea. It is not recommended to use distilled water with hermit crabs. You want to use regular tap water and then use a product like Prime remove chlorine, chloramine, and detoxify ammonia and heavy metals. With distilled you still need to use Prime. Pools should also be deep enough for hermits to fully submerge themselves and safely be able to get out of by themselves.
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
strawberries, nuts, kale, egg, and dried shrimp
GB: Oh goodness. You need to cover more aspects of the food pyramid than this. You also need to provide calcium. Calcium: Cuttlebone, eggshell, coral, oyster shell. Foods should be organic when possible. Hermit crabs are sensitive to pesticides and fertilizers.
Safe food list: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92557
Unsafe food list: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92556
Food pyramid: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=92554
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I've had two of my purple pinchers for almost a year and recently got a strawberry and another pp
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
both of the ones I've had have molted and my new strawberry is about to
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
I have a 30 gallon and i had to make a lid using cardboard and aluminum foil
GB: That might work temporarily - but I recommend a mesh lid so you can provide UVB for the Straw. cover the part not covered by the light with press n seal or plastic wrap to keep humidity in. Straws also do better with larger tanks.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
4 two are medium and around the same size and the other two are small and also around the same size
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
I have 3 small shells thats all I can find in stores
GB: I addressed this in the other post you made. Here is the shell guide: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=92552
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
no
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I cleaned it a couple months ago by scrubbing the glass and getting new substrate
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
I have one and i boil it
GB: Sponges are not necessary.
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
yes i added a hammock new moss and some fake hanging plants
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 used to have a hermit crab that died and when i got it he fought with the same crab that's fighting right now
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
my new crab and my old one are fighting inside the cave and are cornering to an edge and i cant see them. I dont know if i should leave them be or try to get them out. I have a feeling they're just sizing each other up or something like that. They're not making noise but i hear them moving