HCA: Hermit Crab Association

stellaplusrocky wrote: I feed my PP's a variety of wet and dry foods currently, and I offer raw chicken thighs.
Would my E's need pork, or beef, and maybe squid? I heard that they go on protein sprees sometimes, so gotta be ready!

I buy a 55 gallon in two weeks! I then have to shop on Amazon, so this tank won't be ready for crabs for about a week or more after purchase.

Any of those would be good.

Other options are seafood, which I know things such as shrimp and clams/mussels come in freezer bags which are handy because I can give them a small amount at a time. Fish is always a good option too, I give my crabs canned fish on occasion as long as the ingredients are just fish and water or oil.

Other options would be to check out the fish and reptile sections at pet stores for various kinds of protein, such as mealworms, crickets, krill, and more. As long as there isn't a bunch of add-ins (definitely avoid copper sulfate and ethoxyquin, however I always think the less unpronounceables the better) it should be fine, and if you aren't sure you can always consult the forums!

Also, check out the seafood section at the grocery store and see if they have frozen bags of what's called either seafood medley or seafood salad. I get a smallish bag maybe once every 8 months (I swap for a new bag when it starts to smell really freezer-y, but that's just me), and it has mussels, clam, shrimp, octopus legs, and squid (squid has consistently been unpopular in my tank though - while octopus is a fan fave.) Voila! Variety and economy for most of the year, all in one easy bag.

Just check the label for preservatives - as with everything.

LadyJinglyJones wrote:Also, check out the seafood section at the grocery store and see if they have frozen bags of what's called either seafood medley or seafood salad. I get a smallish bag maybe once every 8 months (I swap for a new bag when it starts to smell really freezer-y, but that's just me), and it has mussels, clam, shrimp, octopus legs, and squid (squid has consistently been unpopular in my tank though - while octopus is a fan fave.) Voila! Variety and economy for most of the year, all in one easy bag.

Just check the label for preservatives - as with everything.

Okay, next trip to my market, I'll check out my seafood section. It's like a butchery area, but all fish. There are even lobsters for sale there.
I'll see what I can do! I just got some popcorn for my crabs. It's organic kernels and made from an air popper.

My dad said that I will need a stand for the 55, so I'll buy one when I find it.

A proper stand is a good idea, it's a lot of weight to support and an aquarium has to be supported evenly on the rim or it can cause the glass to break. On smaller tanks you can get away with creative bases that will often support the weight, but when you're talking hundreds of pounds and 4 feet of glass, a real aquarium stand is safest. Even walmart sells stands for 55s, it just depends on what you want and how much you want to spend. The wrought iron kits are usually the cheapest, followed by the MDF kits. I will say I have never seen a 55 stand by itself for sale used before, which sucks.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk