HCA: Hermit Crab Association

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?

Eco Earth, about 5 inches 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?

In the top corner of my tank I have a digital one that measures temp and humidity, humidity stays between 75% and 82% and the temperature stays around the high 70s

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?

I have two UTHs on the back side of my tank, one slightly bigger than the other

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)?
Both fresh and saltwater are provided, in gallon jugs filled with reverse osmosis water from my house then treated with prime, then I mix instant ocean for the saltwater

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed dried fruits and veggies mixed with mealworms, I made sure to use the one brand suggested on the food list on this site for dry foods, I spray the food with the same treated water to make it softer, I also sprinkle some calcium powder for them on top. I replace them as much as needed.


6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have 4 PPs, two I’ve had since December 2018 and the other two I just got from my friend a couple weeks ago who got hers the same time as me in December 2018

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
I know that my two have molted in the beginning of 2019 and one of my friends has but I’m not sure when.

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 29 gallon tank and a glass lid that I have slid back a tiny bit to keep air flow in the tank and for it not to get too humid

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
4 crabs, 3 around the same size, small to medium and one on the upper half of the medium size I think. I’m still trying to understand the line between their sizes


10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
I have several shells in my tank, at least 15

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
No

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I don’t clean it often, I spot clean when necessary and I scoot around the substrate with a plastic fork every time I change their food and water, their 29 gallon is fairly new

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?
The hammock is new and a bridge connecting to a hanging coconut are all new, also new water bowls

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.)?
No

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Half my hammock has this white fuzzy stuff that I swear wasn’t there earlier today, one of my friends crabs is sitting on the half that doesn’t have the fuzzy stuff and has been there for about 2 days, I’m freaking out and I’m upset that this happened because they love climbing up there. I have had this hammock for a few weeks and all has been well until now... I know I might need to throw it away but I have no idea what to do if I get another one.

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You have mold growing on the hammock. Mold is harmless to crabs. I still try to eliminate it when we get it on wood, ropes, and hammocks. When we get mold growth we boil them in dechlorinated saltwater. That usually makes it go away for us for a few months.

It's harmless like said.

If your hermit crabs love to climb on it they're going to drag food and also crap on it, which will create mold.

You can also add isopods to help with clean up.