need some suggestions on juggling a deep clean

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:08 am

I have a 20G tank with 1 crab on the surface. 3 crabs have been under for a about 3 or 4 weeks (1 destressing and possibly molting, the other 2 are probably molting). I have a 5G ISO tank with a crab who had just molted and is about halfway done with his EXO (he's taking his sweet time).

Anyway, the main tank is in dire need of a deep clean (found a couple of cottony mold spots growing on the sand). I fear for the health of the lone surfaced crab (and I just don't like the idea of the submerged 3 molting in a filthy substrate).

My question: How to juggle this mess? I hate to move the three molters twice, and once I do move them, I can't really trust Buddy (small history of aggression) with anything but a healthy, non-molting crab.

Ideas? Temporary ISOs? Could I put the 3 molters with the other one in ISO? My wife already vetoed my suggestion to get yet another small ISO tank.

Thanks for listening!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:43 am

do have any old buckets of ice cream that are empty of the ice cream? you could try using those for iso tanks? poking holes in the top to allow for air flow. otherwise, when i do a deep clean and dig up a molter, i put them with my other molters in the iso tank. but, i haven't had any instances of aggression with my crabs.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:27 am

Thanks for the advice. I do have some old plastic kitty litter buckets that I could use for temporary ISOs.

My only concern is supplies and gauges for them. I guess it wouldn't be a big deal for a short period of time (hopefully not more than a week).

The three crabs that are still under are micros and small crabs. I thought they would be done with this by now. They are contrary like their caretaker.

HERMEZ · Post by **HERMEZ** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 10:36 am

I really would NOT suggest digging up 3 crabs when you are not sure at what stage they are in--while I can appreciate the need to want to get rid of the mold, spot clean that area(s) as best you can.

Sand doesnt mold so make sure you do more daily cleanings of poop and food to avoid that. You do not want to group together molters nor want 4 ISO's running that are not holding idea conditions.

Thats my take---good luck

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 12:12 pm

bigzoo, i have the same problem! For now i might just lean up the empty side of the tank with out the molters.It quite fustrating though.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 12:21 pm

Herm-EZ: I agree with your input. I don't want to touch them at all and wouldn't consider it unless I thought it could be trouble to their health. Right now I'm flopping on what to do. I'm also afraid that something may have happened to one or two of them. They've been down for a while (though my biggest, Buddy, who's the only one on the surface, was down something like two months before). But right now, I will take your advice and hold off a week or so. In the meantime I'll take Totallyhermies suggestion and clean the half that I know is crabless (all three are located in a rather small area).

I guess when the one in ISO is back to full health from the molt, I can put Buddy in there with him. I know the conditions are optimal.

Thank you everybody.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 12:34 pm

I had the same problem. I have a 55g with 17 crabs in there that desparately needed a deep clean. There was never a point where everyone was up. Though I do not normally advise anyone to dig, I did so anyway. I had a few very small KKs and cheap tupperware containers ready for any molters I might find. They fit inside the main tank, so I wouldn't have to have separate temp/humidity problems. I was surprised to find that the only molters I dug up were already done, but I did find one that had a bad molt and would have died if I didn't find him. So, if you are prepared before you start, and you feel it neccessary to deep clean, then do so carefully.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 5:55 am

For now, I would scrape the top layer of susbstrate and clean what I could, then wait til you know for sure how far along the molters are....Good lUck

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 6:49 am

yesterday i just decided to take all the sand out from around the molters. Figures one molter had eaten almost all his exo, so i put him in iso (he was just half burried in a cocohut) and the other hadn't even started yet,a nd last night he was running around.

those crabs are just trying to annoy me! But i got to redo the tat! yay!