ErraticArtist wrote:Hello!
I'm ErraticArtist! I live in Kamloops, BC (Canada) and recently (as of March 24) became the owner of three small purple pincher crabbies. There names so far are Kraken, Crabbo and the third one. (My kids chose the names of the first two but I wanted to see the personality of the third before it's named). They live in my old 10 gallon fish tank with 6 inches of substrate, I have a new 20 gallon tub ready for them but they are all cozy underground right now.
I'm not much of a poster, more of a lurker, but I look forward to being a part of this forum regardless!
I'm hoping a more experienced person can review my set up too, I want these little guys to be happy and healthy, but I'm worried about them right now with them all being underground for 2+ weeks, I'm worried I mucked something up and hurt them
Hi ErraticArtist! Welcome to HCA!!! We have quite a few crabbers on here from Canada.
I'm a new crabber myself, and found the folks and information on this site super helpful when I was first getting started a few months back. I have a 10 gallon myself, and my first crab just came up from a molt (YEA!!!) I know how worrying it can be when you're not sure if your crabs are doing all right.
We'd be happy to help you with your setup.
You can post pictures and description here or make a new thread in the Crabitat Conditions Forum:
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... m.php?f=26
Sounds like you've already figured out that three crabs need more space than is available in a ten gallon, and at least 6" of substrate - good for you!
There's a questionnaire also, that if you fill it out, we can give you ideas on what to improve and help you know when you're doing great. It was originally designed to help folks experiencing a crabbing emergency, so please don't be scared by the language. All of the requested info is helpful when we're providing input on your crabitat. I've pasted it below.
1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
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?
3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
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)?
5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
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.)?
16. Please describe the emergency situation (or situation of concern) in detail.
