HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Uuuugggggg I'm at a loss.

A while ago I found Merlin who looked like he molted but was attacked and missing a leg. He was ISO'd for a while and I put him back in the main tank since I couldn't keep sstable conditions. I dug him up about a week after and found he had passed.

Then, a couple of days ago, I found Roody barely alive. He lived for about a week tucked in his shell unresponsive but I knew he was alive. Then, a few days ago I found him naked and dead. His abdomen looked a little weird to me, does it look normal to you guys?

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/ ... G_7124.jpg

Abour 2 weeks ago I had accidently dug up Clide while he was still soft. I ISO'd him (in a different tank than Merlin) and he dug under. I then moved him back into the main tank once he hardened (and made sure to dip him in the tank's water).

Today I had to moisten the EE so I had to dig up everyone who was in there. I found Clide and was unsure if he was alive. I set him on his back so I could see if he moved. I found him just now lik this in the tank and he didn't retract when I picked him up:

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/ ... G_7435.jpg

So I helped him get back in his shell and then I went to pick him up and piut him in the main tank and he almost fell out of his shell. I smelled him and he smells like a molting crab. The thing is, he must have only molted about 3 weeks ago and he's a small. I know he's alive as I can see hm moving a bit. Can he still smell like that 2 weeks after being dunked in salt water and being buried in EE? I really don't think so. But I have him ISO'd and I'm hoping for the best.

What is happening to all my E's? I don't think it's my conditions since I've had numerous good molts these passed few months, but I'll still fill out the template.


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it? Playsand and EE, it's about 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, temp is 77 F and humidity is 78%, they're located on the substrate.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what? Yes, several UTH and a heating lamp on the 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)? Fresh and salt, dechlor and salt are both API

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced? A homemde kibble as staple and fresh foods daily (all that benefit them)

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known? All the E's for around 3-4 months

7. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing? 30 gallon tank with a screen lid that is covered

8. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they? 1 jumbo, 2 larges, 1 medium, 2 small and the rest teeny (yes, I may be a bit overcrowded by a few gallons)

9. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any? about 3 per crab

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

11. How often do you clean the tank and how? every few months by changing the substrate and boiling everything

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

13. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently? A few shells, but they were added after the first two died and were boiled.

14. 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.)? Explained it all above

Your tank conditions and crabbing practices look just fine, so I can't really come up for a cause for what you are going through. If it helps at all, I will go months without a single death, and then suffer 3-4 deaths in a single week.....with no explaination.

I sometimes wonder if an illness or disease strikes the tank, and just like humans, some can survive it, and others cannot. Introduction of a new crab or crabs may cause it, but not neccessarily. It just seems to be a mystery.

I am sorry for your losses.

And then there were two. Clide passed away sometime last night. I found him naked and smelling strongly like a freshly molted crab. His abdomen also looks different to me, does it look normal to you guys?

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c348/ ... G_7442.jpg

Sorry this has happened to you Kristina

Had a look at your photos, and it's a real mystery, have never seen anything like this before.
I think Kathy's definately right, it looks like some mysterious illness that has done this. A similar thing happened months ago in my tat and I lost around 6 or 7 crabs to a mysterious illness, then suddenly and very fortunately it stopped and since then haven't had a single death and all the crabs seem to be doing fine(fingers crossed).
I do really hope this happens with your crabbies, that this epidemic stops, it's really heart-breaking .

I had an E die a couple of weeks ago too and his abdomen was also slightly distorted. Maybe they just shrivel up. Sorry for all your losses.

I'm sorry Kristina! The abdomens look normal to me.

Every once in a while I go through a series of losses that I'm not sure how to explain. I know it's sad and unerving. [smilie=grouphug.gif]

this might sounds like a funny question, but are your UTH's on the bottom of your tank, or on the side?

quite a long time ago (probably years ago), i had brought up the point that in the wild when crabs dig down, the sand or earth will actually get cooler. when we put the UTH's on the bottom, it makes it get warmer the further down they go. i suggested that they be put on the side like i've been doing in my tanks. i put it on the back wall, so it's partway covering sand, and partway over it. this way you get a little warm area that they can go to when they're chilly. part of the substrate is warm so they can dig there and be warm if they want, but some crabs prefer it to be cooler and can move where it's most comfortable for them. i've been doing this for years and have had very little problems with molts. i've even seen mine that if the temp falls a little lower than normal that they do go over and cuddle up to the wall where it is, so they do know that it's warmer there if they need it.

also another thing to watch for is if your substrate is drying out at all. in the winter it can dry out a lot faster than in the summer. especially if the crabs are smaller or don't tip water dishes as much. the first pic with the shriveled looking abdomen made me think maybe he dehydrated? i'm not sure if that would have anything to do with the substrate drying out though.

[smilie=comfort.gif] I'm so very sorry for your losses. Dehydration was my 1st thought as well. That's probably the symptom of the problem, not the problem itself. I don't believe that placing the UTH on the bottom is the problem. Because the heater doesn't cover the entire bottom, it naturally creates a cooler side or 2 cooler sides. I can feel a distinct difference in temp of the sand on either side of my tats compared to the front & back. My guess would be some kind of illness that was slow acting. Even if they were acting completely normal, they could have been harboring an illness. Animals do not show their weaknesses until the very end. They can't afford to.

Thanks for your opinions.

The sand on the bottom is always moist and I keep my UTH at the side of the tank. I really hope, if it is an illness, that I don't loose anymore.

when was the last time you sterilized your substrate? maybe there were left over tiny bits of food that caused something to happen in the substrate that's bothering them. not really sure if that's the case, but it's always possible that they've hidden bits of food, or there's pieces left too small to see that could be causing something.

Well, I just did a deep clean today, but the last time I had done it was only a few months ago. But I doubt they hid food, they never go crazy over any food I make. Spoiled brats.