HCA: Hermit Crab Association

how long can a crab hold its breth underwater. i just put in a new water bath for them and some stay under a long time and i dont know if i should be worryed or not

When I bath them I but them all in a plastic bin. When you bath them make sure the water isn't above their antenea, and be sure to have some things they can use to climb out of the water, like a small island or cocohut. I think that crabs can only hold their breaths for up to 15 min.

i thought is was 3 minutes. but thats just what i have heard

I have a vine that hangs over my saltwater pool since it is 2" deep. From that vine there are a couple leaves that barely touch the water and these are for the smaller ones that might need them to get out.

i have thing for then to get out, but incase something happend i would like to know how long thay can stay under water

I have about 10 books on land hermit crabs and they all say something different about that. They say anywhere from 3 minutes to 20 I think, but who knows how long it exactly would be.

Better safe than sorry. Its better to assume its around 5 min. just to be careful.

I think that as long as they have a way to get out, they won't deliberately drown themselves. They'll get out when they want to. I had an Indo stay underwater for over 6 hours, although there was a filter in that water pool, so the aeration may have helped him to stay under that long. I'm sure they can all stay under for at least 30 minutes.

ive heard of them going in the sea by day and comming out at night. can they breeth underwaer?!?!?!?!?!??! i dont wanna risk that

I have heard that they can only stay underwater for 3 minutes tops. I wouldn't risk leaving them in longer, it could be a fatal mistake.

I too have heard 3 minutes