HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello hello

In summer of 2005 I bought a small halloween crab and after iso placed him in my 90g tank. Well since then I have seen him all of... 3-4 times! Last time was at least six months ago. He was considerably larger, much to my surprise.

The thing is... I have no idea what he eats! I thought he would come to the surface fairly often and I would get to see how he interacts with the others. but he is ALWAYS buried. I have no clue if he's still alive.

I'm just concerned for my molters. I have a huge tank with 15 hermit crabs or so, all medium to big, plenty of room. I suppose I am growing paranoid and want to go dig for him (I know, I know) and perhaps transfer him to a new tank with a setup more suited (more water, though I do have two large water sections)

Anyone have any experience with this? If I have confirmation he won't bug the molters I'll leave him be. but what DOES he eat? =p

Thanks

old pics of when I first put him in
[Link no longer works]

Here's some more info:

http://www.reptilecity.com/Merchant2/me ... t_Code=HMC

Personally, from past experience, I wouldn't recommend mixing them with any land hermit crab. They are omnivorous and can easily overpower a hermie smaller than it, or a bigger hermie eating it when it is molting itself. They pretty much need wider and deeper enclosures with access to a water table or underground pool, akin to when fiddlers dig underground to avoid the tides, to ensure proper molting and growth. A 50/50 dry beach/mangrove-type setup with brackish to marine water is recommended.

In this case, I would recommend to try to hunt him/her out ever so carefully and gingerly as to avoid disturbing the hermits as much as humanly possible.

Good luck!

Oh WOW!!!! He's gorgeous!! I've never seen one before That's totally super cool! Sounds like if you have a salt water bubbler and play sand deep like in the ISO, one of them could live in that kind of environment, no?? Good luck!

Huh. that's really interesting MudCrabJoe err Joel. Thank you so much for the info! I guess I'll make plans to go a hunting.. I'm overdue for a deep clean anyway =/

Thanks miss CrabbyPatty! Indeed I have a few 10g lying around so I could easily set up something just for him, at least temporarily. IF I find him again =p

I was going to buy one of those Halloween Moons last year and I decided not to as their tank conditions have to be just right. As was stated above you have to have brackish water and a pool for submersion so I figured I would just buy more hermits, which is what I have done.

Moon crabs are so cute- they are just beautiful. However, they areally are aggressive little guys. A friend decided to buy a mix of fiddlers, hermies and moon crabs- with absolutely disastrous results.


He has a really enormous tank with all sorts of places- pools, banks, stones, sand, EE, climbers, hidies - and the fiddlers chased the hermies, the moons chased and ate the fiddlers and one of the hermies. It was really awful.

OH YIKES! That's awful libbysmom... I guess it doesn't matter if one is in the class "crustacean"; you have to be a specific type to be safe, huh? Why can't they all just get along????

agree with all above they are very territorial,not a good mix with land crabs,as for what they eat they love same food as land crabs with particular liking to dead fish and yes mine is also very timid but in time they will come out to greet you mine is now nearing the two yr mark and have just starting to see her about the tat beautiful creature they are tho