HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi ! I just got a new crabbie from a great reptile place in Berkely, CA . There was only one hermit crab left, but I am happy I got one at all . I felt very .. lucky, that there were any left . And I had to search for him, he was under the SW bowl . I have mainly PPs & 1 E, so I kept the E with the PPs . But the crabbie I just got is an E also ! So I housed them together and am hoping that they get along . The first time I saw him out anf about, my jaw dropped with awe in how beautiful his coloring was . I have never seen such an E so beautiful ! Since I got him as the last one, I felt very lucky . I do not know what to name him . I was going to name him Miracle, but I want something that is just a little bit more .. out there, unique .. maybe you guys could help ? Thanks, hope to hear feedback . Here he is ! ♡

Oh, he IS adorable! Give it a little time and the right name for him will come to you...

So happy for you, are the E's going to be in a completely separate tank and what is the size of it if you are?

YAY

Thank you ! They are in a 5.5g right now . They are alone, just the two of them . Since they are a different species . I would have put Claws in there alone while he was the only E, but I was hoping I could find him an E friend first, and I did ! I heard that they have different heating needs and just get along better . So I thought they should be alone . Should they not ? o:

No, its fine to put them in there together they still have a friend

Also, within 2h of arriving, my new guy has burrowed . Also when I found him in the tank he was under the SW bowl . Is he okay or just stressed or what ?

He is stressed, so he is de-stressing he probably is coming out at night to eat and drink, give him time when he is ready he will come up and that is when you can move. He might be molting but it is less likely.

Thank you . He is such a beauty ! He looks different than my other Es I have had, is the more vibrant and more shades of coloring something that makes him different in a way ? Like a sub-species of E ? Or do some just come out with different shades and vibrancy than others ?

Bad picture but this is where he dug down and I see new track marks . Claws (other one in there) has been in thw corner a lot, so I don't think it's his track marks . I believe it is the new guy, so that shows that he is at least out at night ?

So he is just de-stressing.

Es should never be in a tank that small. They need a lot of sub to dig in and deep salt water pools. Es are known to be more likely to cannabilize their tank. You really really should look into a larger tank for the safety of your hermits.

Of course, thank you so much for letting me know . I will move Claws when I get home and I will move the new E when I see him next . Thank you !

You are so welcome. When I started out I had 2 Es in a 10 gal with 4 inches sand at best. Without knowing about crowding consequences I bought 4 pps. I got lucky and bought an established a 55 before anyone went down to molt and got eaten. I wonder now if the 2 I had that died with pps were more stressed due to bei ng overcrowded. It is a theory but no way to test it.

Until I get a bigger tank, I have one E in the 5.5 and the other in a 10 . All I can do for now, sadly . Doing this is better than both in the 5.5, though, right ?

Will they be okay alone ?