Eco-Earth Better for Molting than Sand?

[Guest]

Hi--I've had my medium sized crabs for 6 weeks and I don't see any imminent signs of molting, but I'd like to be prepared just in case. I've seen several posts about eco earth and crabs seeming to prefer that to sand for molting purposes. I'm curious as to whether the majority of folks here think I should invest in some in my iso? Or should I put some in the main crabitat? I prefer the way the sand looks but of course I know it's not all about the way I like it to look!

[Guest]

With molters my ISO will start out very damp, sand castle consistancy, however once a molter digs down for the long haul the sand gets more and more dry. I can't re-wet and mix it because molters create air pockets in their little tunnels and if you wet and mix it could destroy their air tunnels. So I lightly mist the top, since I also don't want it wet enough to collapse a tunnel and agian cut off a molters air supply. It's a challenge with molters who burry for weeks at a time, to keep the substrate moist and still not bother them.

[Guest]

One of the reasons eco earth works better than sand is for the tunnel/air pocket reasons others metioned above. Sand can collapse on a molting hermie and smother them. Eco earth has no such problems. It stays moist for a long time, so you don't have to worry about humidity issues or smothering issues. I've never had the eco earth in my isos dry out enough to worry about, even during my hermie's longest molts.

[kuplakrabs]

I have seen posts about people experiencing mold with their coconut fiber bedding. I just wanted to share my mold free experience I have had the same EE in my tank for 6 months with no mold issues. When I prepared it, I used boiling dechlorinated salt water (I added the salt mix just prior to pouring the water on the brick of EE) instead of fresh to help inhibit mold. Adequate air circulation as well as frequent stirring of the substrate also helps to prevent mold. Since there has been so much talk about beneficial bacteria in a tank, I have decided not to completely change out my substrate. I remove a small portion, add new and stir it all together. I think once proper stable conditions are established, mold should not be a prevalent issue regardless of which substrate you choose. The only exceptions I can think of at this time is when I have pieces of exo that have been left at the bottom or if a crab has passed. I simply scoop the substrate out and dispose of it. I offer sand and EE (with composted leaf litter and worm castings) as well as a mixture of the two in another area of the tank. Often during my deep substrate stirs, I find that the EE (which is 6-8" deep) is sometimes a bit compacted. The area where the sand and the EE is mixed seems to stay just the right consistency. Most of my crabs bury and molt in the EE or the EE/Sand combination area of my tank.