HCA: Hermit Crab Association

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
My tank has a mix of eco earth and play sand, 6 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?
I haven't been able to have a gauge in my tank this year because its broken, but after a couple years of adjustments, I have the temp and humidity setup so it is usually 20-25 celsius and the humidity around 70 with my humidifier.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
I have 2 heat pads in my 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)?

Fresh and saltwater available, I use prime and Red sea salt. I use one drop of prime for each 1.5-litre bottles and I use a medium pinch of salt for the saltwater (based on measurements of like 4g of salt) Red sea salt here: https://burscough-aquatics.com/media/ca ... lt-4_8.jpg
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
I feed nuts, oats, dried fruit, dried mealworms, sphagnum moss, and I only replace it when it gets bad because it is dry food.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I've had this Aussie crab for nearly 4 years.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?

She has moulted at least 4-5 times, and most recently was last year, probably came up 6 months ago. She looked like she needs a moult.
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
65-gallon exoterra tank with these plastic lids I got cut for the lid.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
there are 3 crabs in the tank- all around 1-2 inch shells and no bigger than 1-inch openings.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
there is usually 15 or so shells in the tank.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
Apart from candles- none.

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I never clean the tank unless I see mould or anything. Sometimes I use vinegar and water to wipe down the glass.

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

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?

Nope.
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.)?
nope.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
My girl cocoa, a big crab for Aussies has been acting weird this past week. She was half in a new shell and wouldn't go fully in for a day. After that, she went to the coconut hide and has been there up until this morning (as far as I know) She hid when I approached the tank this morning. When I got home she was out of the shell and in the freshwater pool. I'm particularly concerned because I have never had a naked crab that won't move- how am I meant to leave her in a container with shells to change into if she won't move?? Anyways, I also see this weird lump thing on her abdomen- worried she may have hurt herself when changing shells. I don't know how to attach an image, I have one though.

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Best way to share an image is with the tapatalk app for forums. I wish it was easier but we are on old software here.

It sounds like you're seeing her molting sac, which is an extra storage bubble of fat for when food gets scarce or they go down to molt. That I would not be worried about.

You can put her bum into a shell manually if you aren't afraid to handle her, and try to get her to back into it by tapping on her frontside. If she's not moving though it's likely weakness causing the problem and she may not stay shelled. Try it with the lightest option you have in her size. I'm sorry I can't recommend a shell type, I'm really not sure what Aussie crabs like the best in these situations.

If she's really non responsive she may be too far along in the death process. I'm so sorry. Most of the time they act normal until it's too late to do anything. Boosting with sugar and calories can sometimes help a borderline crab regain energy. Honey and peanut butter work really well because it doesn't take effort to eat.

On a side note, it sounds like you're mixing up your saltwater really weak. For a 1.5 litre bottle it would be around 3 Tablespoons of the salt. All the mixes use the same ratio.

when you say heat pads in your tank, you mean on the outside right? heat pads shouldn’t be on the inside the crabs could burn


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keeliaa wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:05 pm

when you say heat pads in your tank, you mean on the outside right? heat pads shouldn’t be on the inside the crabs could burn


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Yep. I have them on the outside.

wodesorel wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 13, 2021 3:25 am

Best way to share an image is with the tapatalk app for forums. I wish it was easier but we are on old software here.

It sounds like you're seeing her molting sac, which is an extra storage bubble of fat for when food gets scarce or they go down to molt. That I would not be worried about.

You can put her bum into a shell manually if you aren't afraid to handle her, and try to get her to back into it by tapping on her frontside. If she's not moving though it's likely weakness causing the problem and she may not stay shelled. Try it with the lightest option you have in her size. I'm sorry I can't recommend a shell type, I'm really not sure what Aussie crabs like the best in these situations.

If she's really non responsive she may be too far along in the death process. I'm so sorry. Most of the time they act normal until it's too late to do anything. Boosting with sugar and calories can sometimes help a borderline crab regain energy. Honey and peanut butter work really well because it doesn't take effort to eat.

On a side note, it sounds like you're mixing up your saltwater really weak. For a 1.5 litre bottle it would be around 3 Tablespoons of the salt. All the mixes use the same ratio.

I took your advice- sadly she hasn't shown any improvement overnight. Also how do I know that the saltwater should be like that? The packet says otherwise.

Here's the 'water' care sheet, which says how to mix up the various brands:

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 27&t=92553

When I put together the care sheet I double checked on the major brands including Red Sea (which I was using at the time!) and they were all mixed at 1/2 cup per gallon.

wodesorel wrote: ↑

Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:00 pm

When I put together the care sheet I double checked on the major brands including Red Sea (which I was using at the time!) and they were all mixed at 1/2 cup per gallon.

Awesome. I probably messed it up when I was measuring it myself. Thanks for the heads up everyone