Combining crabs from multiple tanks after deep clean

CrabbyMom33 · Post by **CrabbyMom33** » Thu May 17, 2012 1:14 pm

I was thinking through how to move everyone back to the 90 after I do the deep clean. Currently here's who is where:

90: 7 PPs, 5 Es
29: 6 Straws (3 up, 3 down)
10: 1 E (teeny molting)

Everyone in the 90 will move to a temporary 55 for a week or so. Once cleaned the 90 will be "new" to everyone, so sort of neutral territory. Here's what I was thinking. Move the PPs and Straws into the 90 first and at the same time to let some of the introduction of the Straws take place without all the monkeys (Es) in the mix. Let that develop for a couple days, then move the Es from the 55 (temporary) to the 90. The E in the 10 will move as soon as I can catch her not molting! Then I'll have to move the others straws as they come up from molting. Make sense? Other thoughts? I have several large crabs (2 PP, 2 E, 4 Straws) so I'd prefer to have the intros as calm as possible.

piccolo41099 · Post by **piccolo41099** » Thu May 17, 2012 2:42 pm

I put all of mine back at the same time. I just put them in different locations in the tat. A few in one cornew, a few in the poss pit, some by the water dishes, 2 in th shell shop, a few in the second moss pit. They did just fine.

Post by **wodesorel** » Thu May 17, 2012 2:57 pm

The straws have never met the others, so it's not a classic crab replacement. I think all at once would be fine and may be a better idea since the tank would still be neutral ground for everyone at that point. A bath might be good so that both groups will smell similar, and with luck they'll just think they've always been together!

DragonsFly · Post by **DragonsFly** » Thu May 17, 2012 9:57 pm

If you are quite certain you want them all in the same tank, I'm with wodesorel; it would probably be best to put them all in at the same time, so it isn't anybody's claimed territory already when somebody else gets added in. Piccolo's suggestion of putting crabs in different places (preferably set them in with a few they know and get along with, then other groups here and there, spaced apart) is also a good one. I'd also have multiple feeding stations spaced apart and extra shells scattered widely (or several shell shops), to reduce any tendency to fuss over resources.

Careyenz · Post by **Careyenz** » Fri May 18, 2012 8:39 pm

My community tank has E's, PPs, and two straws. The straws seem to stick together, but they all get along well.

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CrabbyMom33 · Post by **CrabbyMom33** » Fri May 18, 2012 8:56 pm

Thanks for the input everyone. Yes, I'm certain I want them all in the same tank. That is one of the reasons I'm doing the deep clean. I want to increase the substrate depth because the straws are diggers and I know I need to do that before I add them to the tank. I need to get down to 1 big tank so that I have time for things besides hermit crab tank maintenance.

I'll plan to move everyone at the same time, and at a time when I can keep an eye on things for several hours. I'll give them all a quick dip in dechlor before I put them in the tank...good idea! It will probably be like it was moving them out that I do it 1 at a time to try to get updated pictures. I had hoped to do that on the way out, but my camera was not being cooperative and half of them our not in focus.

There will be plenty of shells! That is one place I have problems...I probably add too many because they are so pretty.

When I set the tank back up I plan to have several shell shops and hope to keep most, if not all, of the shells off the surface so they have more room to run around and to keep the shells cleaner. I found a corner caddy that has 2 levels, plus I'll have my long shell shop I had before.

HCA: Hermit Crab Association