HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So I have a good set up based on what I've read here, other than not having a deep water dish for my crabs to completely submerge. The other day I placed a 4x4x4 tupperware type container in one corner on top of substrate and set it up so that there was a way in and out of the container, using mesh and have it next to the cork bark so is easy to get in. Everyone is very active at night and each morning they have used the regular water dishes but haven't touched the deeper pool.

I really don't want to dig it in to substrate and have to take out each time it gets dirty to clean. I'm really surprised no one has been in it. Do you think they'll eventually go in or do I need to do something different on the set up.

Dish set up.

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I'm having the same problem was questioning if air stones would help...I don't want to bury mine either, would make changing it a pain...


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I really don't want to add a pump and an air stone. I have plenty of humidity in the set up and air flow.

The only thing i can think of if adding rocks or something around it to provide more ways of getting in :/

From what I've read here it can sometimes take them a while to explore the new pools. I'm waiting for the same thing myself so I feel your pain lol

One thing I read about sinking the pools...put 2 of the same size container inside each other with marbles or beads or something like that between them in the bottom so that you can easily remove the upper container to change the water while maintaining the pool's footprint in the sub. It takes away some of their digging space but if you have a large enough tank...


Zoo mom of 3 cats, a dog, a fish and 3 (for now) crabs

meg_and_the_zoo wrote:From what I've read here it can sometimes take them a while to explore the new pools. I'm waiting for the same thing myself so I feel your pain lol

One thing I read about sinking the pools...put 2 of the same size container inside each other with marbles or beads or something like that between them in the bottom so that you can easily remove the upper container to change the water while maintaining the pool's footprint in the sub. It takes away some of their digging space but if you have a large enough tank...


Zoo mom of 3 cats, a dog, a fish and 3 (for now) crabs

Duh! Good idea on putting one inside the other. Why didn't I think of that. Thank you for the idea!

Lol It wasn't something I would have thought of either but it's kind of brilliant...the stones or whatever between eliminate the suction issue when pulling the top one out


Zoo mom of 3 cats, a dog, a fish and 3 (for now) crabs

marbles seem to work the best for me as they are all the same size, so the water still sits level in the top container. still have to apply a little pressure to the bottom container so it doesn't try to come up with the little amount of suction that there is created.

Yep, partially submerged double containers with marbles between is the easiest set-up to clean (stole the marbles idea from Klowns ). The access ramp you have is fine but you'll also want to add some pebbles or shells (the flat serving dish ones, turned ridged-side up) to the bottom of the pool so the crabs have something to grip as they walk around. A small weighted-bottom aquarium plant is always good to have in the pool to serve as another way in/out.

My PPs rarely went into the pools until I added airstones: once there were bubbles, it was like a crabbie-spa siren song! Even when they accidentally enter a pool (slipping in while walking on the rim or falling in from the overhanging plants), they're not in such a hurry to get out now . As the substrate is a pretty even mix of play sand and EcoEarth, humidity has always been high but the bubblers definitely add to it (have to change out the dry mix after only a few days or it will mold). IMO, it's a good trade-off to have the crabs actually use and enjoy the pools.