HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Ok, so I've been some sort of off of crabbing, been busy. But it also happened cause it seemed all my crabs went down for molting, I maybe had 5, cause I buyed some often and just added them in. It sure didn't went more than 7, for sure. So the other day I damped the 'tat so that the sand is really wet, and on the night one hermie went out. But then I watered again, and I always do so the exceeding goes out of the bowl to water the sand, and it seemed weird to me that no crab sounded or anything. I lifted the bowl, and I saw a couple of snail shells and a piece of the exo. Just said hmm and took the shells out, they were full of sand.

Then I started to concern, as days passed I only saw the same crab. So I lifted my coral piece (it's big, underneath it's deep sand) and dug some to see what appeared. Maybe that was wrong, but I didn't find anything but some exo and another couple of shells.

Where did the crabs go? Could the remaining crab eat the rest of them? To be honest, I didn't feed them protein well, but I did put some crushed apple flavored cuttlebone. Maybe sand not deep enough? Was he tired of the same food?

Thanks in advance.

Oh yeah, and I was also thinking of upgrading the tank, so maybe that way I can find out where did they go. Just want to know what you guys think.

Cannibalism is what sounds like happened, what happened was when the other crabs were molting there smell smelled like food to the other crab and it ate them. So the crab didn't do it on purpose its just its nature. I had that happen to one of my crabs too.
sorry but i think all of the other crabs were eaten.

It is important to feed lots of protein. Protein is an important part of a hermit crab's diet and it you don't provide it they will try to find it on their own and that often means taking advantage of another crab that is molting and defenseless. I recommend you start feeding protein regularly.

I'll try. Yesterday on the night I put a piece of fruit star and raw bacon in the tat, although my crab didn't go out at all. But on the morning, when I checked it, there were ants on the meat. Could those have been ants? Cause, I think the hannibal would have eaten also the exo, right? If it is ants, what can I do to get rid of them?

Thanks for your answers.

Cannibalism can happen for a few reasons - the molters smelled good and were attacked and eaten, they were discovered by accident by another crab when digging (which is what happens when the tank is overcrowded or there isn't enough substrate), or they died and the other crabs were attracted by the smell. Were the crabs all new? They could have died during their first molt or from Post Purchase Syndrome and your remaining crab (or the ants) did what was natural and ate them.

As far as ants - if they're coming from outside the tank then circling the bottom rim of the tank or the legs of the tank stand with petroleum jelly or mineral oil will keep them out. It's messy, but it works. If they've already built a nest inside the tank then the only way to get rid of them is to replace the sand.

Also, bacon (at least what we call bacon - I realize there's going to be some translation differences here ) isn't good for them because of all of the preservatives used in the meat. What you want is plain meats - fish, shrimp, beef, pork, chicken. They won't eat much so they only need a very small amount. Another option is dried insects and shrimp or krill that are used to feed fish and reptiles. I know you had said before you had trouble finding products where you were, so I don't know if that's an option.

Thanks for your answer. Well, they weren't really new new, they came on separate lapses, and were up about a month before they went down all together. Maybe it was too crowded, or maybe I don't have enough digging space. But no worries, I'll be getting a new tank with more sand and more balanced conditions hehehe...

Maybe I'll just locate where the ants are coming from, cause I don't usually have them at my department, I live at the fifth floor.

Yep, I read that about bacon. Good thing my little crab didn't touch it. I do have dried insects, something like water flies or something like that, and also baby shrimp and krill sun and freeze dried. I remember leaving one piece of shrimp (about a fifth of an inch or a little more) and overnight it disappeared. I left him those yest and today, varying of course. I'll also check those other meats, thanks.

Thanks for being patient with me hehehe.

Keep smiling.