Update on my crabitat (with pics)

Eyea · Post by **Eyea** » Thu Jul 03, 2014 4:30 pm

I finally got everything in to start my 10g tank! Those awful painted bowls will be replaced just as soon as I can get my rabbit's old bowls properly cleaned. Final temp/humid readout was 79F/89%. There were lots of shell changes, and finally the painted shells are no more! Audrey is especially fond of the climbing stump. Humphrey still hasn't stopped trying new shells.Unfortunately Ingrid had changed his shell and promptly dug straight to the bottom, so I don't have a picture of him. Is it normal to not see where they started digging down? I know not to disturb him, but I don't know if I should worry about him not getting enough air.

Geranium · Post by **Geranium** » Fri Jul 04, 2014 1:13 am

Not to worry, they will create molting pockets with no access to a tunnel or topside, all normal and okay. Sometimes they just tunnels or dig potholes but when they want to set up they will create a little cave under the sub.How deep is your sub, it looks shallow in the photos but they can be deceiving?Also, do you have both fresh declorinated water and salt declorinated water available? Only saw one dish that looked deep enough for a water dish.Bet the crabs are loving the updates!

Eyea · Post by **Eyea** » Fri Jul 04, 2014 3:32 am

Right now I have about 3 inches of sand. I read somewhere that the depth was supposed to be around 3x the size of the largest crab. I do have both types of water, and the new bowls will be deeper as well.They really seem to like it. I want to keep adding to it, but I don't want it to get too crowded either.

jenok · Post by **jenok** » Fri Jul 04, 2014 6:42 am

Its 2-3x the size of the largest crab with a minimum of 6" suggested. If your crab is small or tiny and it will be ok for now but I would suggest adding another 2" when no one is buried or the weight of the xtra sand could collapse the tunnel/pocket they made (that gives a total of 5" depth which is ok for the smaller crabs mine did ok in 4" for the first 2 molts then I had to add more cuz they grew) The extra depth provides more digging opportunity and also makes it harder for the crabs up top to smell/find the molting crab.

Eyea · Post by **Eyea** » Fri Jul 04, 2014 5:13 pm

Ok, I bought some coco fiber today. I'll be mixing it into the substrate as soon as they are all up. I'll make sure that it is deeper this time. Thanks for letting me know!

Laurie LeAnn · Post by **Laurie LeAnn** » Sat Jul 05, 2014 12:59 am

Your crabs might go down for a week or two then come up for a few days or week then repeat that pattern over and over then boom you won't see them for a month at all. Don't panic. This might be the real deal MOLTING! The before was practice and dis stressing. Remember for better health of your Crabs no touchy feely hands play for a month.

Eyea · Post by **Eyea** » Sat Jul 05, 2014 7:08 am

I haven't had them very long yet, so the only time I've handled them is when they went into the bigger tank. I've also put some dried shrimp in there because I read that it'll keep the others from bothering the molter (hopefully).