Weird Crab Behavior Continues by KyMart

[KyMart]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
The substrate currently used in my tank (which I'm about to upgrade my tank and my new tank will have 100lbs of play sand and 3 bricks of EE) is all natrual aquarium sand, it is 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 have a temperature gauge, and plan on upgrading to a nicer temperature gage/hydrometer when I pet them in the new tank. The temp is currently 78° F.


3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
A UTH on the back left side of the 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)?
Both fresh and salt water are available, I use prime for fresh water and follow the instructions listed on the bottle, and I use IO for salt water and follow the instructions listed on the bottle. I change out their water once or twice a week or as needed if they get a whole bunch of sand or poop in it.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
As I have said before, I make my own food mix and add in some CrabPax food here and there to spice it up. I change their food 2-3 times a week.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had Frog and Bug since August 30th 2023, and I have had Fox since June 26th 2023, today's emergency is regarding Frog.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Frog went down to molt on June 6th 2023, came back up on June 11th 2023 and switched shells. He was very dull in color and limp for a while, but was moving around, he has now regained his color, and is very sharp and hairy, so I believe he molted in the 5 days he was down even though that seems like it would be very fast for a Medium sized crab.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
They are kept in a 10 gallon fish tank with a grate lid that is saran wrapped on the outside.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
There are currently 3 Crabs in my tank, 2 Mediums, and 1 Teeny, they will be upgraded to a 40 gallon breeder soon.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
There are 18 extra shells kept in the tank, all are natrual turbos.

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I have not cleaned my tank since June 15th, I normally do it ever week or every other week, but I have had some molters.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No, by Frog does have a dry sea sponge he keeps in his hide and munches on, sometimes he takes it and rolls it around, but it always ends up back in there with him.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
My new crab, Fox, but this behavior started occuring before Fox was added into the crabitat.

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 don't normally bathe my crabs, I let them bathe themselves, but I hadn't changed the water because a grab was destressing under the salt water dish, but they scooted it so far away from their tunnel to keep digging that I could move it without disturbing their tunnel, so changed the water about 45 minutes ago.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Frog has been my most active crab since I have got him and Bug, ever since she went down to molt he has been sitting in his hide with his sponge and never coming out like he normally does. Today I saw him sitting their and decided that something must be wrong with him, it's not like him, and he just molted and regained his color. He moved some in the hide, so he wasn't surface molting. I grabbed a big tubbarware and two other containers, I put the same amount of water in both and made one fresh water and one salt water, I was going to bathe him. He hadn't been acting normal at all, and I know it's him, all of my crabs look very different and have key features. I put him in the tubbarware of warm water, it wasn't hot, but it wasn't room temp. Frog walked around in it for a minute and then proceeded to crawl out of his shell as far as he could without coming all of the way out, he has never done this before, but he did it today! I got up and grabbed some shells smaller then his and bigger and the same size and gently put them in the water with him, he showed no interest with them. The water dish was slanted so he wouldn't drown, but could submerge, but it still scared me so I got a bowl and used a shot glass to put water from his bowl into the empty one so it was less deep. He started to crawl back into his shell, which was met with a sigh of relief form me, but he seemed to not be able to get all the way back in, so I gently lifted it for him and he went all the way back in, success! He then tried to climb the sides of the bowl so he wasn't having it anymore, so I put him back in the tank, he looked at a few shells for like 2 seconds, climbed over them and wedged himself between the wall and his favorite hide. He is next to the heater, so I don't think the water was too hot, I mean he has been in that temperature water before without any problems. It was the most bizarre thing ever! I looked in the bowl and saw a brown spec, I'm not sure what it was, do you think he was trying to get it off of him? He has some brown spots on him, is that normal? I can't post pictures, but I will see if one of my friends will add them for me so that way you guys can see what I'm talking about. Thank you for reading, and please give me any advice if you have some!

.

[Pumpkincrab]

Hi Kymart,
The brown specs might just be substrate. Send me a pic through Etsy and I'll let you know!

Again, you don't need to be bathing your crabs, especially in an emergency situation. Keep an eye on him, maybe provide some high-energy foods- but I don't see a major reason to be worried.
However, I am concerned that despite many words of advice, you still are bathing your crabs. You don't need to. It doesn't help. It stresses them. They can bathe themselves. Please, take that advice!

[curlysister]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
The substrate currently used in my tank (which I'm about to upgrade my tank and my new tank will have 100lbs of play sand and 3 bricks of EE) is all natrual aquarium sand, it is 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 have a temperature gauge, and plan on upgrading to a nicer temperature gage/hydrometer when I pet them in the new tank. The temp is currently 78° F.
Curly - Do you have a hygrometer? What is your humidity?

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
A UTH on the back left side of the 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)?
Both fresh and salt water are available, I use prime for fresh water and follow the instructions listed on the bottle, and I use IO for salt water and follow the instructions listed on the bottle. I change out their water once or twice a week or as needed if they get a whole bunch of sand or poop in it.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
As I have said before, I make my own food mix and add in some CrabPax food here and there to spice it up. I change their food 2-3 times a week.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had Frog and Bug since August 30th 2023, and I have had Fox since June 26th 2023, today's emergency is regarding Frog.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Frog went down to molt on June 6th 2023, came back up on June 11th 2023 and switched shells. He was very dull in color and limp for a while, but was moving around, he has now regained his color, and is very sharp and hairy, so I believe he molted in the 5 days he was down even though that seems like it would be very fast for a Medium sized crab.
Curly - He probably did not molt if he was only down for 5 days.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
They are kept in a 10 gallon fish tank with a grate lid that is saran wrapped on the outside.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
There are currently 3 Crabs in my tank, 2 Mediums, and 1 Teeny, they will be upgraded to a 40 gallon breeder soon.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
There are 18 extra shells kept in the tank, all are natrual turbos.

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I have not cleaned my tank since June 15th, I normally do it ever week or every other week, but I have had some molters.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No, by Frog does have a dry sea sponge he keeps in his hide and munches on, sometimes he takes it and rolls it around, but it always ends up back in there with him.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
My new crab, Fox, but this behavior started occuring before Fox was added into the crabitat.

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 don't normally bathe my crabs, I let them bathe themselves, but I hadn't changed the water because a grab was destressing under the salt water dish, but they scooted it so far away from their tunnel to keep digging that I could move it without disturbing their tunnel, so changed the water about 45 minutes ago.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Frog has been my most active crab since I have got him and Bug, ever since she went down to molt he has been sitting in his hide with his sponge and never coming out like he normally does. Today I saw him sitting their and decided that something must be wrong with him, it's not like him, and he just molted and regained his color. He moved some in the hide, so he wasn't surface molting. I grabbed a big tubbarware and two other containers, I put the same amount of water in both and made one fresh water and one salt water, I was going to bathe him. He hadn't been acting normal at all, and I know it's him, all of my crabs look very different and have key features. I put him in the tubbarware of warm water, it wasn't hot, but it wasn't room temp. Frog walked around in it for a minute and then proceeded to crawl out of his shell as far as he could without coming all of the way out, he has never done this before, but he did it today! I got up and grabbed some shells smaller then his and bigger and the same size and gently put them in the water with him, he showed no interest with them. The water dish was slanted so he wouldn't drown, but could submerge, but it still scared me so I got a bowl and used a shot glass to put water from his bowl into the empty one so it was less deep. He started to crawl back into his shell, which was met with a sigh of relief form me, but he seemed to not be able to get all the way back in, so I gently lifted it for him and he went all the way back in, success! He then tried to climb the sides of the bowl so he wasn't having it anymore, so I put him back in the tank, he looked at a few shells for like 2 seconds, climbed over them and wedged himself between the wall and his favorite hide. He is next to the heater, so I don't think the water was too hot, I mean he has been in that temperature water before without any problems. It was the most bizarre thing ever! I looked in the bowl and saw a brown spec, I'm not sure what it was, do you think he was trying to get it off of him? He has some brown spots on him, is that normal? I can't post pictures, but I will see if one of my friends will add them for me so that way you guys can see what I'm talking about. Thank you for reading, and please give me any advice if you have some!
Curly - As already stated, bathing your crabs is not a good idea, it just stresses them more. Also, the water pools in the tank will be the same temp as the tank, and without measuring the temp of the water you put the crabs in, you have no idea whether it was too warm or too cold (it was probably too hot if it felt warm to you). If a crab is sitting in one spot and not coming out when you are there, it doesn't mean they are never coming out. A crab can appear to sit in the same spot for days, and might actually be doing so. It is best to keep the tank conditions optimal (ie- heat and humidity) and leave the crab alone, rather than handling them and stressing them out more. Brown specs are probably eco earth that has stuck to the crab and came off in the water.

[KyMart]

Hi Kymart,
The brown specs might just be substrate. Send me a pic through Etsy and I'll let you know!

Again, you don't need to be bathing your crabs, especially in an emergency situation. Keep an eye on him, maybe provide some high-energy foods- but I don't see a major reason to be worried.
However, I am concerned that despite many words of advice, you still are bathing your crabs. You don't need to. It doesn't help. It stresses them. They can bathe themselves. Please, take that advice!

I haven't done it since I got them pools, I just did it today because he was worrying me, idk why, I just panicked.. He is actually eating again now, and even exploring, climbing, and interacting with the others. I won't bathe them anymore, thanks for the advice!

[KyMart]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
The substrate currently used in my tank (which I'm about to upgrade my tank and my new tank will have 100lbs of play sand and 3 bricks of EE) is all natrual aquarium sand, it is 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 have a temperature gauge, and plan on upgrading to a nicer temperature gage/hydrometer when I pet them in the new tank. The temp is currently 78° F.
Curly - Do you have a hygrometer? What is your humidity?
Not yet, getting one when I get paid.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
A UTH on the back left side of the 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)?
Both fresh and salt water are available, I use prime for fresh water and follow the instructions listed on the bottle, and I use IO for salt water and follow the instructions listed on the bottle. I change out their water once or twice a week or as needed if they get a whole bunch of sand or poop in it.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
As I have said before, I make my own food mix and add in some CrabPax food here and there to spice it up. I change their food 2-3 times a week.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
I have had Frog and Bug since August 30th 2023, and I have had Fox since June 26th 2023, today's emergency is regarding Frog.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
Frog went down to molt on June 6th 2023, came back up on June 11th 2023 and switched shells. He was very dull in color and limp for a while, but was moving around, he has now regained his color, and is very sharp and hairy, so I believe he molted in the 5 days he was down even though that seems like it would be very fast for a Medium sized crab.
Curly - He probably did not molt if he was only down for 5 days.
That's what I was thinking, still weird he regained color after he came up tho..

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
They are kept in a 10 gallon fish tank with a grate lid that is saran wrapped on the outside.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
There are currently 3 Crabs in my tank, 2 Mediums, and 1 Teeny, they will be upgraded to a 40 gallon breeder soon.

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
There are 18 extra shells kept in the tank, all are natrual turbos.

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

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
I have not cleaned my tank since June 15th, I normally do it ever week or every other week, but I have had some molters.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No, by Frog does have a dry sea sponge he keeps in his hide and munches on, sometimes he takes it and rolls it around, but it always ends up back in there with him.

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
My new crab, Fox, but this behavior started occuring before Fox was added into the crabitat.

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 don't normally bathe my crabs, I let them bathe themselves, but I hadn't changed the water because a grab was destressing under the salt water dish, but they scooted it so far away from their tunnel to keep digging that I could move it without disturbing their tunnel, so changed the water about 45 minutes ago.

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Frog has been my most active crab since I have got him and Bug, ever since she went down to molt he has been sitting in his hide with his sponge and never coming out like he normally does. Today I saw him sitting their and decided that something must be wrong with him, it's not like him, and he just molted and regained his color. He moved some in the hide, so he wasn't surface molting. I grabbed a big tubbarware and two other containers, I put the same amount of water in both and made one fresh water and one salt water, I was going to bathe him. He hadn't been acting normal at all, and I know it's him, all of my crabs look very different and have key features. I put him in the tubbarware of warm water, it wasn't hot, but it wasn't room temp. Frog walked around in it for a minute and then proceeded to crawl out of his shell as far as he could without coming all of the way out, he has never done this before, but he did it today! I got up and grabbed some shells smaller then his and bigger and the same size and gently put them in the water with him, he showed no interest with them. The water dish was slanted so he wouldn't drown, but could submerge, but it still scared me so I got a bowl and used a shot glass to put water from his bowl into the empty one so it was less deep. He started to crawl back into his shell, which was met with a sigh of relief form me, but he seemed to not be able to get all the way back in, so I gently lifted it for him and he went all the way back in, success! He then tried to climb the sides of the bowl so he wasn't having it anymore, so I put him back in the tank, he looked at a few shells for like 2 seconds, climbed over them and wedged himself between the wall and his favorite hide. He is next to the heater, so I don't think the water was too hot, I mean he has been in that temperature water before without any problems. It was the most bizarre thing ever! I looked in the bowl and saw a brown spec, I'm not sure what it was, do you think he was trying to get it off of him? He has some brown spots on him, is that normal? I can't post pictures, but I will see if one of my friends will add them for me so that way you guys can see what I'm talking about. Thank you for reading, and please give me any advice if you have some!
Curly - As already stated, bathing your crabs is not a good idea, it just stresses them more. Also, the water pools in the tank will be the same temp as the tank, and without measuring the temp of the water you put the crabs in, you have no idea whether it was too warm or too cold (it was probably too hot if it felt warm to you). If a crab is sitting in one spot and not coming out when you are there, it doesn't mean they are never coming out. A crab can appear to sit in the same spot for days, and might actually be doing so. It is best to keep the tank conditions optimal (ie- heat and humidity) and leave the crab alone, rather than handling them and stressing them out more. Brown specs are probably eco earth that has stuck to the crab and came off in the water.

There is no Eco Earth in the tank ATM, so idk what it could be from..