HCA: Hermit Crab Association

They were recently bought and I was in the middle of the Post Purchase stress method when both stopped moving one buried and one flopped on the floor both separated because I witnessed a fight. The substrate is 2 in deep and it’s play sand and coco fiber

I have a temp and humidity gauge. It’s at 75°F rn and 72% Humidity slightly above the pet stores conditions I have a heat mat on the tank.

I have fresh and salt water WITH air stones. I used instant ocean for the salt water. And i prime every other day

I change my food every morning and I vary it so they don’t get bored.


A little over a week I’ve had them

one of them has visible molting bubbles

They’re in a 40 gallon tank with a glass lid and a day night cycle for lights

They’re about medium-small sized purple claws

There’s multiple shells and I bought more after they had a fight

Fumes? Like what?

It hasn’t been long enough for a cleaning to happen


Sponges were recently put in

and I removed hides they were too big for

I get nervous sometimes with the humidity and spritz the tank, but I stopped after I was told it’s not good for them

My crabs haven’t moved and one is limp. The tank reeks of fish, but there’s no visible signs of decomposition.

I’m super nervous they’re my first crabs, and they were lively for a whole week and then tanked.

They were recently bought and I was in the middle of the Post Purchase stress method when both stopped moving one buried and one flopped on the floor both separated because I witnessed a fight. The substrate is 2 in deep and it’s play sand and coco fiber
Curly - There is no method that has been shown to improve survival rates. You can put crabs directly into good humidity and temperatures, with deep substrate that is at least 2-3 times as deep as your largest crab. Be sure it is moistened with dechlorinated water so that it holds shape.

I have a temp and humidity gauge. It’s at 75°F rn and 72% Humidity slightly above the pet stores conditions I have a heat mat on the tank.

I have fresh and salt water WITH air stones. I used instant ocean for the salt water. And i prime every other day
Curly - You don't have to re-treat with Prime; the instructions on the bottle are for fish tanks.

I change my food every morning and I vary it so they don’t get bored.
Curly - Be sure they have a source of protein and calcium daily. If you are feeding dried foods, you can leave them longer. But if you are feeding fresh foods, they can get funky pretty quickly in the high temp and humidity of the tank.

A little over a week I’ve had them

one of them has visible molting bubbles

They’re in a 40 gallon tank with a glass lid and a day night cycle for lights

They’re about medium-small sized purple claws

There’s multiple shells and I bought more after they had a fight
Curly - HCA recommends at least 3-5 extra shells per crab. Be sure to look at the 'shells' care sheet so that you are offering the correct types of shells.

Fumes? Like what?

It hasn’t been long enough for a cleaning to happen


Sponges were recently put in
Curly - Sponges shouldn't be in the water, all they do there is harbor bacteria.

and I removed hides they were too big for

I get nervous sometimes with the humidity and spritz the tank, but I stopped after I was told it’s not good for them
Curly - The risk of misting is that if you introduce too much water into the tank, you can cause a flood.

My crabs haven’t moved and one is limp. The tank reeks of fish, but there’s no visible signs of decomposition.
Curly - Sometimes it's hard to tell if they are starting to surface molt or if they have died. Time will tell. A bad smell is usually a sign of death.

I’m super nervous they’re my first crabs, and they were lively for a whole week and then tanked.
Curly - Even if we get them into ideal conditions as soon as we get them, crabs have gone thru so much prior to us getting them, that sometimes they are simply unable to survive.

Thank you I feel a little better. If one did pass, I hope they had an enriching last leg of life. Pet store enclosures make me sad, and they were feeding them the processed stuffs. They were bright and silly and chirpy when I first introduced them to their environment. Hopefully they are just molting though.