HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So I have my hermit crabs for a good year and a half. I started off with one from the fair became in love and now have 17! Anyhow, my humidity is usually 85%-95% and I have mold issues here and their. I want to find live plants, climbing supplies, and hideouts that will not mold as I need more of them. I really want to give them the perfect life but the molding really makes it difficult. Any ideas or helpful info?

Are you referring to plants moulding, or just mould in general? You need humidity to be at 80%.anything higher will create conditions for mold. You could lower humidity to limit mould from develop.

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Salt is really helpful in limiting mold, though caution is warranted so it doesn't built up too high in the substrate.

Mixing new substrate with drinking strength salwater made from Instant Ocean (or similar) will keep mold growth at bay on the surface of the EE and can cut down on mustiness. If you used freshwater to mix you can get away with spraying with salwater a few times instead.

Organic decor can be soaked or boiled in saltwater to kill mold and keep it away. You don't have to use Instant Ocean for this, regular Kosher salt is safe and much cheaper. (Kosher salt has no additives.) I do this with ropes and cork bark and wood items and anything that is heat-safe. Anything that might melt or get ruined from the heat, like sponges, gets a good long soak in super saturated saltwater. Keep in mind that cholla doesn't always handle water nicely and it can get slimey instead.

Plastic doesn't mold! Motor and Xeno have made a gazillion things with plastic canvas. They have posted lots of pictures. I used a plastic square food storage container and cut a door in it, then turned it upside down for a hide. I glued some shells to it so they can climb it (I used aquarium safe glue and let it air out for a number of days prior to putting it in my tank).

Thank you all so much will think about all these ideas!! I will hopefully be getting a homemade pexi glass vertical crabitat for my birthday this March. I will be most definitely taking all these ideas and factors into consideration when the new crabitat is built I want it to be perfect for the little guys! About using salt water for mold, I thought I heard something about salt water in sub can harm molting. Is this true?

Scarletfire wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 18, 2020 2:24 pm

Are you referring to plants moulding, or just mould in general? You need humidity to be at 80%.anything higher will create conditions for mold. You could lower humidity to limit mould from develop.

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I thought about that just dont know how to keep healthy balance of 80% humidity. And just mold in general.

Mold is not harmful to the crabs, just to humans if they have allergies. It is the nature of a hot and humid environment that things will mold. Personally, I would rather have high humidity and just deal with the mold as it happens, rather than trying to lower my humidity and possibly have it go too low and be harmful for the crabs.
You are correct that using too much salt water can cause problems - it is recommended that when you initially wet the sub, you can use dechlor salt water, but then if you are adding water later or misting, to use fresh. Wode meant that if you used fresh dechlor water to wet the sub initially, then you could mist with the dechlor salt water a few times but not ongoing or it will build up.

curlysister wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 18, 2020 11:21 pm

Mold is not harmful to the crabs, just to humans if they have allergies. It is the nature of a hot and humid environment that things will mold. Personally, I would rather have high humidity and just deal with the mold as it happens, rather than trying to lower my humidity and possibly have it go too low and be harmful for the crabs.
You are correct that using too much salt water can cause problems - it is recommended that when you initially wet the sub, you can use dechlor salt water, but then if you are adding water later or misting, to use fresh. Wode meant that if you used fresh dechlor water to wet the sub initially, then you could mist with the dechlor salt water a few times but not ongoing or it will build up.

Wait, so mold is okay for hermit crabs?? I think I'm being stupid and misinterpreting this

The white fuzzy mold that grows on food when it's in the tank too long, or when they drag bits of food around and you don't find it for a while and all you see is white fuzz on the surface of the sub. Or that grows on hemp climbing nets, or on wood sometimes. That mold is common and not harmful for them. A bacterial bloom, where bacteria grows in the lower layers of the substrate - that is bad for the crabs and is an emergency. It does not happen often, but is a very serious problem if it does.

curlysister wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 18, 2020 11:42 pm

The white fuzzy mold that grows on food when it's in the tank too long, or when they drag bits of food around and you don't find it for a while and all you see is white fuzz on the surface of the sub. Or that grows on hemp climbing nets, or on wood sometimes. That mold is common and not harmful for them. A bacterial bloom, where bacteria grows in the lower layers of the substrate - that is bad for the crabs and is an emergency. It does not happen often, but is a very serious problem if it does.

Okay, thanks!

Just remember that mold is not harmful to crabs but can really make us sick depending on the quantity and type.

Motörcrab wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 18, 2020 11:54 pm

Just remember that mold is not harmful to crabs but can really make us sick depending on the quantity and type.

WIll do!

curlysister wrote: ↑

Sat Jan 18, 2020 11:21 pm

Mold is not harmful to the crabs, just to humans if they have allergies. It is the nature of a hot and humid environment that things will mold. Personally, I would rather have high humidity and just deal with the mold as it happens, rather than trying to lower my humidity and possibly have it go too low and be harmful for the crabs.
You are correct that using too much salt water can cause problems - it is recommended that when you initially wet the sub, you can use dechlor salt water, but then if you are adding water later or misting, to use fresh. Wode meant that if you used fresh dechlor water to wet the sub initially, then you could mist with the dechlor salt water a few times but not ongoing or it will build up.

Got it! Thank you!!!