naked hermit crab - maybe mites?
Posted: Thu May 11, 2023 12:41 am
Since you've come to the emergency forum, we know you want a fast answer to your question. In order for us to figure out the problem as quickly as possible, we ask that you answer the following questions as best you can. Some of them may seem odd, but they're all designed to give us the information we need to give you a good solution for your problem. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? eco earth and play sand - 6 inches
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 and inside the tank. humidity 80% and temp is 77
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
not in the tank, outside UTH but on the side
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)?
they have both water. the water is treated with prime and the salt mix is instant ocean
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
i use etsy mixes and sometimes fresh food. fresh food taken out each day
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
he’s a purple pincher and i’ve had him for about 2 months
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? hasn’t molted
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 g long, mesh lid but it’s wrapped to seal humidity
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 2. they’re both smaller than a golf ball
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? a lot, over 10
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 since i just got it up and running a couple months ago
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? i don’t have sponges
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? the new crab - cream cheese
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.)? phil (my original crab) was very healthy before adding cream cheese. i’m very worried
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
phil was healthy until the addition of the second crab. he would move around, eat, bathe, etc. he was very happy and i care for him DEEPLY. it’s been 3 days since the adding of the new crab and phil has streaked out of his shell twice. i boiled his shell and sand and what looked like little dots came floating up. i thought i maybe saw. a bug but wasn’t sure. the dots were very small and i did look at his body and didn’t see anything too out of the ordinary? i’m worried mites are bothering him if it’s that? it’s been really upsetting me, i want him to pull through but i know this isn’t a good sign. cream cheese has not been bothering him, she is buried and de-stressing so im unsure what’s going on. there are no bugs in the surface area only the dots that floated up from his shell that he took off.
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1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? eco earth and play sand - 6 inches
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 and inside the tank. humidity 80% and temp is 77
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
not in the tank, outside UTH but on the side
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)?
they have both water. the water is treated with prime and the salt mix is instant ocean
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
i use etsy mixes and sometimes fresh food. fresh food taken out each day
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
he’s a purple pincher and i’ve had him for about 2 months
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? hasn’t molted
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
20 g long, mesh lid but it’s wrapped to seal humidity
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 2. they’re both smaller than a golf ball
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? a lot, over 10
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 since i just got it up and running a couple months ago
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned? i don’t have sponges
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? the new crab - cream cheese
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.)? phil (my original crab) was very healthy before adding cream cheese. i’m very worried
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
phil was healthy until the addition of the second crab. he would move around, eat, bathe, etc. he was very happy and i care for him DEEPLY. it’s been 3 days since the adding of the new crab and phil has streaked out of his shell twice. i boiled his shell and sand and what looked like little dots came floating up. i thought i maybe saw. a bug but wasn’t sure. the dots were very small and i did look at his body and didn’t see anything too out of the ordinary? i’m worried mites are bothering him if it’s that? it’s been really upsetting me, i want him to pull through but i know this isn’t a good sign. cream cheese has not been bothering him, she is buried and de-stressing so im unsure what’s going on. there are no bugs in the surface area only the dots that floated up from his shell that he took off.
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And I haven’t had him too long. The other crab is distressing and isn’t showing signs of mites either. I got a close up photo of him too and I didn’t see anything.