My crab is in labor...

KittyCaller · Post by **KittyCaller** » Thu Jun 09, 2011 10:13 pm

Carrie, I suspect that you and your husband could actually do it, yes. There are a few challenges. One is obviously the lack of previous successes, but I think there are some articles on marine species. Second is actually obtaining gravid females. If you have a few sufficiently large females and the conditions are perfect though, obviously it does happen. The third challenge is actually finding shells tiny enough for newly land bound hermies. But if you can pull it off (and I think you two probably have the best chances) then you'll be instant heroes in the hermie community. And you'll be able to find homes for the new hermies, trust me.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 4:09 am

I've tried doing another search for the article but no luck just some old outdated care info on the three most available species.I sure wish I could find it... I'm going to try one last search through the F.S.U tag name and see what comes up.One big issue that Tammy faced early on was getting the filtration intake covered so that all the zoea didn't get pulled in and killed this will be something you'll have to deal with provided you take on the project Two-C.I believe Tammy overcame this obstacle by using a fine mesh to cover the intake which ended up being covered with dozens of little zoea which then had to be gently removed and placed elsewhere in the tank.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 4:13 am

Well we certainly have teeny tiny shells, our snail population is very prolific and we have about a million shells. Ranging from 2" opening Turbo shells down to shells where the entire thing is smaller than a BB. Some of them are really pretty too. I was looking into a 200 gallon tank last night sifting through the shells thinking I should pick up some smaller Crabs to fit the smaller shells. All of ours are ping pong size and a little bigger.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 4:17 am

Crabber85, I was thinking about the intake problem last night. I was wandering if a second mesh divider would be of any benefit, to keep the little guys off the actual intake mesh? I will have to ask my husband about ideas, he is incredibly innovative. LOLI hate when you've come across a really awesome article and you want to reference it later and it just seems to vanish, hope you can find it.

KittyCaller · Post by **KittyCaller** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 9:42 am

Oh, good. I ought to have thought. We got an infestation of trumpet snails once in our 29 tropical tank (never quite got rid of all of them, but the loaches and mollies ended up keeping the population under control, at least) If you have to deal with those at all (I know you've mainly got marine tanks) or something similar, then those sizes ought to work pretty well. As for research, you might go to google scholar. That's a really fantastic source for looking up scientific articles on tons of subjects, including hermit crab breeding, as it turns out. It may take some digging, but I'm guessing this will be a really good first step. I think the hardest part is going to be finding the exact salinity you need to help them thrive, but if you know the salinity of the water off the Florida Keys, then that may work, since there are hermits living in Florida who pitch their eggs into the sea there. If you were to try with a different species, then that may prove even more difficult.

Crabina · Post by **Crabina** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:43 am

That’s awesome!

Nicole · Post by **Nicole** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 2:04 pm

Tammy has contact information on her site; you could try giving her a call and see what new information she might have. OT: I just saw on the note that she no longer has a retail store; that's sad. I know a few members that enjoyed visiting with her in FL.

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 5:57 pm

Did one more search and the sites who should have had it don't anymore as they tend to purge articles and such that are older than two years for the most part which I found perplexing to say the least.Talked to a friend of mine who is running a website server now and he says that it is pretty standard policy for old articles and whatnot to get deleted due to bandwidth issues which I understood given that we have to do the same here which leads me to believe that I may never get to find it until I go back next year on vacation.The family isn't going this year instead we are doing something a little more local for our trip mainly due to gas being so high. oops

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Fri Jun 10, 2011 6:20 pm

quote: The family isn't going this year instead we are doing something a little more local for our trip mainly due to gas being so high. We all hear ya there!!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 4:40 am

Crabber85, that is a shame. I get nervous about that when I find a good internet article and I print it off for future reference. I horde old articles and magazines Just in case I could ever use the info again, LOL. I printed off about a hundred copies of the few articles I have had published (on dog health, nutrition, and training), but what if I need them later?

Crabber85 · Post by **Crabber85** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 9:58 am

Oh yeah I'm a big hoarder part of my O.C.D. but unfortunately the article was for purchase only as all proceeds go towards the help and protection of sea life there at the Rescue so I was unable to buy it but will try to the next time I'm going that way.My states Governor promised to keep the gas prices low and then turned around and didn't sign the bill that would have done just that by putting a temporary halt on a new gas tax so we ended up paying right as $5.00 a gallon for regular and almost $7.00 for premium.Now the gas has dropped to $4.00 a gallon for regular since the summer blend of gas was released but now they are saying that by next month gas could be two dollars higher than a month ago so we are looking at paying about $90 something dollars to fill up to make it half way there to Savannah which is about a five hour drive from where I live.

Mr. Crab's mom · Post by **Mr. Crab's mom** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 10:47 am

Gas went down here a few cents, went down to 3.49 a gallon. Was up to 3.89. Hope it keeps going down. People can't keep paying all this. Everything goes up when gas goes up but do you ever see it go back down when the gas goes back down. It always stays the same.

dylan644 · Post by **dylan644** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 12:01 pm

Gas has went down a few cents, and up a like 20. We found gas around here, in Indiana for like $3.66. *I'm down here with my aunt for the summer, still live in Amanda, Ohio*

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 9:48 am

It'd be interesting to hear of the conditions that you are keeping these crabs in that has resulted in breeding apparently every year(are the eggs fertile?).I've done lots of research on the possibility of doing this. Getting eggs is actually the hard part. Rearing of the larvae poses only minor difficulties in comparison.

Nicole · Post by **Nicole** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 2:16 pm

Hi critterguy! Yes, the eggs are viable but unfortunately without a warm ocean for them to hatch in they all perish. Often the crabs simply lay them in the sand near the water (dishes) as they would in nature, but there's no tide to pick them up so they just lay there. Without hours, they start to smell badly so I always make sure to remove all of the eggs. If I lived in the Florida keys, I'd try and give them a chance but unfortunately (for me and the crabs) PA is too far north and landlocked.I have all PPs (eleven of them) - golf ball-sized and larger - and they've been together for nearly eight years now. Temps run 74-80 degrees in the tank with humidity generally in the 80+% range. All sand sub with API salt water and bottled spring water for fresh water. Worm castings, cuttlebone, Calci-Sand, crushed eggshells, and crushed oyster shells for supplement dishes. Variety of protein, fruit, veggies, cellulose, and treats offered every other day. I actually think it seems easier for the crabs to breed - we have quite a few members who've had crabs with eggs but no one to date that I know of who have been able to raise the zoea.