HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hey guys!

I'm closing in on almost a month with my crabs. My question is how do I go about cleaning the substrate? I've heard of just spot cleaning but I don't ever really see anything and it's been awhile so I figure there's got to be something there. I've seen feces like twice and that's because it was in the food dish.

When the crabs are super small, it's hard to tell what is poop! Also, they can hold it in their shell for quite some time before dumping it. I noticed that my crabs dump their poo more often now that they are more acclimated to the tank. Or at least I think they do. Just scoop out what you can and make sure to get any food dragged away from bowl. The good news is that any poo you miss will get broken down by the good bacteria in the substrate over time. To be honest, I really only worry about getting my big crabs poops anymore, because they are so massive! The rest I don't worry about. If I get it, great, if not, oh well.

Hope this helps!

Spot cleaning is good. You only really want to deep clean once or twice a year at most. Similarly to a fish tank the substrate in your crab tank will develop good bacteria that help break down waste and prevent any "bad" smells. Doing a deep clean too often interupts this process/cycle and is stressful for your crabs.

Thanks guys!