HCA: Hermit Crab Association

@Thalomos- My pools are 2 liters each.

@jmfx2- Down the drain in the sink.

@keith- I didn't want to do the cups because my schedule is always crazy with labs and everything. I don't think I would be able to keep up with all the water changes! That's why I wanted to set up a tank for them. I also wanted to try something new. Maybe I could do half and half. How many little dudes per cup do you think? Or maybe I could do cups initially and then move them to the tank when they grow a little bit and get stronger? I don't know. I just am not crazy about doing daily water changes because I know I won't have time if this happens during the school year.

I can contact you if I am unable to care for them like this time. Good to know I have a contact and somebody who will take them!

Wow your pools are huge! Do you have pics of your setup (how big is the tank)? How often do you change the water? My pools are like .5 liters each. (close to 2 cups)

You can see some photos in this thread: http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... =8&t=81286 towards the bottom of the first page. It's a 55ga tank. I change the water once a week, occasionally more if I have a lot of swimmers who dirty up the water.

I don't think there's a season for crabs... I guess us crab owners have to figure that out ourselves!

I keep seeing more guarding in my tank (this time, a viola pair, and a PP pair). No eggs came of it this time that I can tell, though. So much love in the air!

I've got my fingers crossed for you!!! It's so exciting.

I've given up on mine doing anything. All my girls I think are either too young or too bossy, and the boys are all too shy. (I keep telling myself that anyway. Honestly, all this love in the air elsewhere makes me think that my tank isn't perfect. )

Course, I can't get my kuhli loaches to make babies either. Been waiting seven years! I tell them every day - I WANT BABIES. (First time my hubby was in the room when I shouted that out I thought he was going to pass out. THAT took some quick explaining!)

The things I miss while I'm gone.

This is really awesome! That's great that your crabs "did it". I always think it's a sign that you are providing a habitat that is very close to the one in which they would live. They feel at home, natural, healthy, and are able to do their business.

wodesorel wrote:I've got my fingers crossed for you!!! It's so exciting.

I've given up on mine doing anything. All my girls I think are either too young or too bossy, and the boys are all too shy. (I keep telling myself that anyway. Honestly, all this love in the air elsewhere makes me think that my tank isn't perfect. )

Course, I can't get my kuhli loaches to make babies either. Been waiting seven years! I tell them every day - I WANT BABIES. (First time my hubby was in the room when I shouted that out I thought he was going to pass out. THAT took some quick explaining!)

Poor guy!!

@kili- Thanks! It was definitely a nice gift from my crabs. I always worry that I am missing something essential, or that I am keeping them too confined, or that the weather up here affects them more than I am aware of or stuff like that. I'm relieved that some are content enough to breed.

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I forgot to mention that I made a condensed video showing everything that I documented on photo/video. If you already have seen everything I posted, don't bother watching it. It's just the same stuff, only condensed into a short video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk8IbaSwr4g

What are your temps/humidity like? And any updates?

My temp in the summer is about 90 on the hot side, and 80 on the cool side. In the winter, it's about 80-85 on the hot side and 75-80 on the cool side. Temp varies a lot inside the apartment during the winter because it's poorly insulated and the vent system is crazy. Humidity varies between 80-90% throughout the year. Less in front of the heat lamp. I'm constantly spraying the sand right there. No updates yet on the crabs. I've saved up about $150 right now from sales of drawings and harvestables. And I have a check for $100 I haven't cashed yet from my grandpa. I haven't finished his second drawing yet, so I don't want to cash it. Maybe next year my crabs will decide to try to breed again. They will get more natural light, and the temps are warmer. I'll probably order stuff in the spring to set up in case they do. At that time, I'm sure I'll make a thread about it.

Hey! Before I forget again, I found this site about a woman who tried raising fiddler crabs in a marine tank. I know they're not hermit crabs but they do have the same type of larval stages. She tried it twice, and learned some interesting things!

http://soulmosaic.wordpress.com/and-wha ... rab-stuff/

Bookmarked it!! Thanks!!

This is a very interesting topic! Enjoyed the videos of the crabs mating. How cool it is that you actually get to witness this behavior, and they have eggs afterward. Hope you can successfully raise the larvae to adulthood someday.

Lucky you. Grandkids, whoo!