New 4ft terrarium.

[aussieJJDude]

Well, it depends on tank size, crab size, crab temperament, tank layout ect. But a good starting point that I use is 9000cm2 of floor space per crab.

[orangeinecrab]

Well, it depends on tank size, crab size, crab temperament, tank layout ect. But a good starting point that I use is 9000cm2 of floor space per crab.

Okay I will figure out how many cm2 my tank is but I got my pools today an 8 litre one for my saltwater and a 4 lire for my fresh

[orangeinecrab]

Just sexed my crabs and my smallest is a girl and her name was already Pepi, My next biggest has dug down again but had already just molted a couple of weeks ago where as none of my others have ever molted so I don't know what gender that one is but my two biggest I believe are a boy and a girl and my friends at school wanted me to call the biggest female Big J and we have a Victoria and a Georgie so I think I have all my crabs finally named

Pepi, Victoria (hoping it's a girl but if not it will turn to Victor or I may just keep Victoria), Georgie and Big J!

[orangeinecrab]

Well, it depends on tank size, crab size, crab temperament, tank layout ect. But a good starting point that I use is 9000cm2 of floor space per crab.

Also how many crabs can I have with 7200cm2 floor space as you put 9000cm2 floor space for one do you mean 900cm2 for each one because if so I can have 8 max

[aussieJJDude]

Oh woops. My fingers got a little excited and must of pressed the '0' more than I meant to. Yes, I meant 900cm2 for each crab.

And those pools sound exciting, I'm sure once your finish they will look amazing. As for your crabs genders, congrats that you crabs where willing to come out of the shell for an 'ID'.

[orangeinecrab]

Oh woops. My fingers got a little excited and must of pressed the '0' more than I meant to. Yes, I meant 900cm2 for each crab.

And those pools sound exciting, I'm sure once your finish they will look amazing. As for your crabs genders, congrats that you crabs where willing to come out of the shell for an 'ID'.

Thanks I thought 9000 was a huge number but its always good to check I now need to find craft mesh and some other bits and bobs before setting up but I have a problem the terrarium lip is 6 inches high and it has a max water level there but in the manual thingy it says the terrarium can onl hold a maximum of 20kg so I don't understand what I should go by??

[KellyCrabbieLove]

I don't understand. Maybe I am not using the conversion things right online. It is saying my 125 is 8361 cm2 which by your math says I should only have 9 crabs in a 125. That doesn't seem right to me considering 9 smalls can be in a 29 without problems.

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[aussieJJDude]

I don't understand. Maybe I am not using the conversion things right online. It is saying my 125 is 8361 cm2 which by your math says I should only have 9 crabs in a 125. That doesn't seem right to me considering 9 smalls can be in a 29 without problems.

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Probably not.
But I'm a firm believer that total gallonage doesn't make a difference, it's the surface area that counts. For example, a 20g tall would hold a lesser amount of crabs compared to a 20 g (normal). Now compare that 20g (normal) to a 20 g long, and the long could hold a larger amount of crabs (or a larger size). After all, its has more running room and more places to dig down and moult.
Plus in my experiences aussies do require/need space. I've tried to "cram" 6 - 10 aussies (all considered small to medium on the sizing charts) in a 4ft tank (64g) and ran into problems (mostly certified attacks when moulting). According to the "US" standard with PP's, I would be understocked or just touching the border of a "nicely stocked tank".
Even though those 9 smalls could comfortably be kept in a 29 without problems (at the start) eventually you have problems unless you upgrade. Now compare if you had 9 aussies (E's, Straws ect) in a 29. *shudder* It would be total mayhem. In a 29 (30" x 12" x 18") thats around 2250cm2 (or 137 inch3). Thats around 2.5 crabs, so I'd go with 3 smaller crabs a be prepared to move them out or 2 larger crabs that could house them until they have reached a medium or a large.
So I tend to understock smaller crabs, but this allows them to "grow up" in their tank without the need to upgrade every two years as x amount of crabs went from a mirco into a small.
~~~~~~~~
Of course, for jumbos a larger floorspace is required, but for anything under a medium I imagine that it's suffice for aussies (most exotics). Not to mention, this is my take on stocking ratios. Like all stocking ratios involving animals there's no right or wrong way. Just do the best that works.

[KellyCrabbieLove]

I understand what you are saying, the numbers just seemed off to me because the idea of only being allowed to house 9 crabs safely in my 125 seemed outrageous. I am almost all PP so perhaps that is why it seemed so out there for me.


Plus I am highly medicated and exhausted. Lol
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[aussieJJDude]

I understand what you are saying, the numbers just seemed off to me because the idea of only being allowed to house 9 crabs safely in my 125 seemed outrageous. I am almost all PP so perhaps that is why it seemed so out there for me.

On the other side of a spectrum, seeing all you crabbers with 20 plus crabs in 100g plus tanks seems so off to me.
Not to mention, if all your crabs happened to become jumbos overnight, an upgrade isn't necessary with 9 crabs (or at most, upgrading a *few* gallons more). Not to mention a 125g tank is 73 x 19 x 24 inch (185 x 48 x 61 cm); most of the tank is just vertical space! Even though hermit crabs do enjoy a tall tank, most captive hermit crabs seem to moult right at the bottom (after all, 6 - 10 inches of substrate is nothing for these little guys) and that their moulting caves also takes up a fair amount of floorspace. Now, if the 125 gallon tank was 73 x 24 x 19 inches (185 x 61 x 48 cm) thats 1749 inch2 (11285cm2). That goes from 9-10 crabs (in your 125g) to 12-13 crabs (in a flipped 125g).

Hermit crabs aren't helicopters

[KellyCrabbieLove]

Wow...lol I am on a very high dose of pain meds that just hit full strength and the image of a crab helicopter had me laughing like an idiot. No more making me laugh that hard until I heal up! Lol I just pulled some stitches.

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[CallaLily]

But I'm a firm believer that total gallonage doesn't make a difference, it's the surface area that counts.

I agree with you here, though I know my tanks are overstocked by your standards. I'm always amazed by people who give me flak when I say my tanks are full and I can't take in more crabs. Even some crab people.
I have 8 crabs in a 48x18x21 and 9 in 36x18x34 (inches). I need to upgrade and soon.

considering 9 smalls can be in a 29 without problems.

A 29 gallon has the same footprint as a 20 long. Most I've seen recommended in that space is 4 smaller crabs.

EDIT: sorry for continuing to take this thread off track.

[orangeinecrab]

I agree with you here, though I know my tanks are overstocked by your standards. I'm always amazed by people who give me flak when I say my tanks are full and I can't take in more crabs. Even some crab people.
I have 8 crabs in a 48x18x21 and 9 in 36x18x34 (inches). I need to upgrade and soon.

A 29 gallon has the same footprint as a 20 long. Most I've seen recommended in that space is 4 smaller crabs.

EDIT: sorry for continuing to take this thread off track.

That's fine I don't mind

Anyway got my craft mesh today and cable ties to build ramps oh and some black gravel for the bottom of the pools but I'm still worried about the leaflet that came with the tank saying it can only hold 20 kg of weight but on the tank there is a sticker nearly 6 inches up saying max water level wilhich would be over 100 kg what should I go by??

[aussieJJDude]

I have the same "issue", a reptile tank that can't hold a lot of weight. With over 6 inches of substrate, a large water pool I'm sure it exceeds 20kg, probably more than 100kg! I think the 20kg weight referred to the weight in one spot, the 100kg refers to the total weight.

[orangeinecrab]

I have the same "issue", a reptile tank that can't hold a lot of weight. With over 6 inches of substrate, a large water pool I'm sure it exceeds 20kg, probably more than 100kg! I think the 20kg weight referred to the weight in one spot, the 100kg refers to the total weight.

sorry if it wasn't clear it says 20kg for the whole weight inside the tank but where it says max water level I worked out would exceed 100kg so I don't know what to think