HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hey guys, kind of a sad day for my crabbing yesterday. I got home from a five week exchange to Germany and left the crabs in the care of my mom because I live at home. I left a full set of instructions, as well as what to do in emergency, and how to log into this forum. Honestly, I wasn't worried because I'd just rescued 5 crabs and they all went down to molt. Or so I thought. I got home and looked in the 'tat and it *reeked*. Full-on dead fish smell. She said a crab had passed away at the very beginning and she thought the fishy smell was from that. Sadly, it was not. One of my crabs I think attempted a surface molt and died behind the salt water container, and another had drowned in the water, and my mother did not notice. I was incredibly sad for losing them and honestly, it was not my mother's fault that they passed. Anyway, because of the smell there is now a hoard of fruit flies taking up residence in my PP tank. I tried cracking the lid and putting some red wine vinegar outside the tank, but it doesn't seem to work. Does it have to be apple cider vinegar? Also, what else can I do to get rid of them if the vinegar trick doesn't work? Could these possibly be another type of fly, since they were attracted to the death smell? Thanks a bunch guys.


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I strapped a bottle with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap to the side of my tank and it seemed to work pretty well. The fruit fly traps you can buy are all apple cider vinegar. I also saw something on here last night about a combo of beer or juice, the Apple cider vinegar and dish soap for fruit flies.


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

I find apple cider vinegar with a couple drops of dish soap works best for fruit flies.

I'm sorry to hear about your losses. Make sure there are easy ways out of the water dishes for all crabs. Is this the same tank as the naked crab? Double check tank conditions. Make sure substrate is moistened throughout.

I am so sorry for your loss Really

Thanks guys. And callalily- I did a water change today and made the water much shallower and added several more rocks to the bottom of the bowls. Originally, I had a reptile hammock hanging in the water for the crabs to use to climb out, but it had fallen down and my mother had not replaced it.


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Sorry about the losses.

Red wine vinegar will work, but you have to sweeten it - a squeeze of honey works, but fruit juice or sugar should also work. I've always done the traps with half water and a drop of dish soap.

No need to make the water pools shallower. Just make sure there are easy ways for even the smallest crab to climb out. Plastic needlepoint canvas makes great, cheap ramps. You can also use fake plants. I'm not sure what reptile hammocks are like but as long as they can grip it and it's crabby safe, it should be just fine as a way out.

The reptile hammocks are a soft nylon mesh fabric, but they're held in place by suction cups. If the cups give way and go unnoticed like they did..... Needlepoint canvas would be more secure.

Been reading about this, I have one question how do you put the solution in the tank or bottle? How do you get it stay in the tank?

It's safer to put it outside the tank nearby. You can use it inside, but you have to be watching so the crabs don't get into it. It smells like overripe fruit, so they will be attracted, too.