1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Flukers Hermit Beach Sand Substrate, approx. 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? Yes, it is located in a dish slightly above the substrate about 3/4 back from the front of the tank. The humidity is usually around 76% and the temp is usually around 82*
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Yes. A Zoomed under tank mat, but placed on the back at substrate line.
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 is treated with Zoomed conditioner (2 drops per cup) and API aquarium salt (1 1/2 tsp per cup)
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? Hermit Grub on Etsy. Different varieties. Replaced once a week. Started incorporating fresh blueberries recently.
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? Purple pinchers. 6, 4 and 1.
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen? Yes, multiple times with the 6 and 4 year old. 6 year is currently and 4 year seems to be prepping.
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 40 gallon Aqueon with a glass lid over top a screen lid.
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 1 bordering on XL, 1 large and 1 bordering on medium.
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? 9+
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently? No.
12. How often do you clean the tank and how? Once a month I follow Crab Central Station’s guide to deep cleaning (surface decor washed and dried, gently remove surface litter and wipe down sides with a damp paper towel.
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? Just the blueberries with meals.
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 always have a bowl of worm castings, millet stems and leaf litter available throughout the tank.
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail. I just discovered my 4 year old crab (Spidey) had ripped my 1 year old crab (Hulk) out of his shell and was eating him. It was too late to save Hulk
Leading up to this point, Hulk was difficult to check on because he would burrow during the day and only come out in the middle of the night. I would make it a point to check on him if I were ever awake during those hours and he would seem healthy and fine. Recently I had found him “hiding” in the empty dish I keep the thermostat in, but he was in Spidey’s shell. This confused me greatly because I thought Spidey was molting, plus Hulk is a lot smaller so this shell was HUGE on him. Anyways, after that I saw Spidey out and about again in a different shell so I just thought Hulk had taken advantage when Spidey moved out. This was all maybe about a month ago.
Since then, my largest crab (6 yr old Cap) had burrowed for a molt. I had not seen Hulk in awhile even when checking during his normal business hours, so I assumed he had gone down for a molt as well. For about 2-3 weeks my only active crab was Spidey and he could not get enough food haha. I recently started incorporating fresh blueberries from our blueberry bush in their dish and he is obsessed! Anyways, 2 days ago I saw a new shell being used and got confused because it was too small for Spidey and I could not find the last shell I had seem him wearing. Suddenly Spidey appears with his original shell that Hulk had “borrowed” so I took a closer look at the mystery shell and found it was Hulk. So I’m thinking everyone is good and cozy in their proper shells…that was until the crime scene I discovered this morning.
So I guess I have a few questions because I am panicking!!!
1) Now that Spidey has a taste for his own, does that put Cap in extra danger while he molts? If so, what can I do to be sure he is safe?
2) Are the blueberries making Spidey aggressive and turning him into a cannibal?
3) What did I do wrong?
If anything happens/happened to Cap I will be beside myself! He is the first crabby baby I got with my husband and I couldn’t forgive myself if one of the other crabs took advantage of him in his vulnerable state
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and for any future comments!
-Melissa
**Side note** we brought Hulk home at the same time as his brother, Thor. Within a month, Thor had burrowed for a molt. A couple months later we noticed some suspicious activity and found Hulk in Thor’s molting den eating him. I seriously am so terrified of discovering that’s what Hulk was doing to Cap in the time he was MIA
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