HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hey crab peeps!

I recently took in 3 crabs. 1 small E and 2 med E
After having them in iso, I noticed 1 of the med E's would sometimes almost chase the small crab. I thought perhaps it was just a fluke and once he had a chance to eat good food and change shells then he would calm down. As soon I put them in iso they all went straight for the shells and changed shells. Then they all ran for the salt water. Things seemed to settle down and I thought I was at a point to add them to the main tank. Wrong!

I have 2 PP up in the main tank and one down. Its a 90 gallon tank with plenty of shells, food and water. Everything seemed fine till I checked back in on them. My med PP was naked and clinging to a vine! The bully E was beside the pp's empty shell. Then I caught the bully "chasing" the little one.

I took my poor naked PP and put in a dish with his old shell and 2 others. Within a few mins he was back in his pants and seemed to be ok.
I have never had an aggressive crab before. I always make sure to feed a protein at every feeding and keep lots of extra shells.
Any advice? Should he be kept by himself?

hey! I'm new to the forum but not so new to crabbies. Never had an agressive one like that guy, though. It's been a couple months, has it happened again/have you found a solution?

From what I've read on here E's need twice as much protein daily and deeper sub. Like 10,11 inches. And they don't like crowding.

I just put a new crab into my large crabitat after iso, with good signs of eating and a shell change. Even after bathing in the tank water, within their first encounter, my new crab Milly charged my old resident Bugs. If freaked me out after Bugs was cornered, so I gently encouraged Milly back into a hut... Now I’m freaked to sleep because after my other resident Snow first came in the tank a couple years ago, he killed for a shell. Did your crabs do that again??

Update, I dunked all the crabs as they came up from slumber in freshwater and they’re even sleeping together now!

Yay, that’s great news!!


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