Adding more EE with possible molters?

[whatthemath]

My tiny guy has been down for about a month. Marcel must've dug down last night, and Dr Z is halfway buried. He has room to dig down farther, but I wanted to put down more EE just in case it isn't deep enough for him. [He's significantly bigger than my other crabs] So, is it okay to put the EE over top of him, and with two possible molters, will they be able to dig them selves back up if I add more EE?

[Goliat6288]

i wanted to do the same when Ariel was down under but some one recommended not to add more EE over them. ive been meaning to do it since she came back up but Green Lantern decided to go down once Ariel came back up.

[whatthemath]

That's what I was worried about. But I don't even think his tunnel is still visible. I saw Marcel digging a tunnel [hopefully not down to my little guy] but it looks like it kinda got buried up a bit. I dunno :l

[Goliat6288]

yeah i know how you feel. it sucks. i want to add more substrate and add my new water bowls but i cant bc i have no idea where GL is and i dont want to collapse his tunnel for his way out.

[wodesorel]

The back fill the tunnel as they dig down to molt so other crabs aren't able to find them. As long as you're careful about adding the EE and you don't press or pat down it should be fine! Those caves can take other crabs walking all over them, so a light layer of EE won't do any harm.

[whatthemath]

Okay thank you!! That makes me feel a lot better considering my big guy might be wanting to molt. ^^ he will probably need the extra EE.

[Goliat6288]

interesting... thanks for the info wode. ill be adding my water dishes and some EE very soon

[kuza]

I've added about 2 inches of sand/EE with molters down and I still hear them digging about, just be careful not to mess around too much and cave someone in.

[sugarselections]

As long as you're a bit careful about it there's no reason you can't add more coco fiber to your substrate. I've done it many times when my substrate compacted more than expected after a deep clean. Just sprinkle it on and then smooth out the top. Remember that because you're sprinkling this extra substrate on top and you won't be able to press it down at all for fear of collapsing caves, you should add a lot more than you think you need. After a few weeks the new substrate will compact itself and you may lose up to half your volume.

[whatthemath]

I've never pressed mine down o.O I always just sprinkled it into my tank and let it compress as time goes. Anywho, I need to get rid of these darn fruit flies before I add any more substrate regardless. >.< I haven't been feeding my crabs fruit for days now and it's really diminishing the things I'm able to feed them. Vinegar traps did nothing. :/ I guess tomorrow I'm gonna try the orange juice trick I heard about. If that doesn't get them what do I do!? I can't completely change out the substrate with a possible molter and I couldn't even guess at where he is in my tank. Sigh. I'm about to start smashing all the fruit flies I can find. Will they die if there's no fruit? -.-'

[kuza]

ok for my fruit fly traps I use half water, half apple cider vinegar in a bowel with a few drops of dish soap. I then put saran wrap over top and poke a few holes in it so they can get in but have trouble finding their way out. This "should" work after a day or so of sitting around.

[whatthemath]

I did the vinegar trap. Half water, half apple cider vinegar like I read and like you just said, a drop of honey, and some dish soap. I've had it sitting in my tank, and I've moved it outside of my tank, but I never see the devil fruit flies buzzing around. I always think they died or something, then I'll mist the EE and it'll send them flying about, but otherwise they just seem to sit/hide/blend in with the substrate. Gaah. Someone said they use orange juice in a narrow bottle and make a sort of paper cone going into the bottle so they can get in but not out. I'm gonna try that next. -.- Oh, bother.

[wodesorel]

Those are probably fungus gnats rather than fruit flies. If they were fruit flies they would be everywhere! http://www.learn2grow.com/problemsolver ... gnats.aspx

[whatthemath]

Those are probably fungus gnats rather than fruit flies. If they were fruit flies they would be everywhere! http://www.learn2grow.com/problemsolver ... gnats.aspx

I'm not disagreeing [I'll take a closer look in a minute]; however to me, they looked like any ole fruit fly I've seen before. Their actions do sound like that of fungus gnats though. :/ BUT another reason that I am thinking they are fruit flies is that I had never seen them until I returned after letting my roommate feed them, and she forgot to empty the food bowl each day. Beh.

Do fungus gnats do any harm to the substrate/ crabs other than sit there and be annoying?

[whatthemath]

Hm, you know what, I think you're right. D: These things seem harder to get rid of than fruit flies. Go figure. How on earth did I get them though? As in, like, I live in a dorm. How did they get in here and manage to find my crabitat!? Oh me, oh my. >.< No wonder the vinegar trick never had even the slightest effect.