Dry substrate & possible molter?

[bxbylxv]

I just came back home after a week, and left premade food for the crabbies with my family. I've been doing a really bad job caring for them since I always take time with school and never make time to care for the crabs... I'm trying to improve myself, so I'm planning on adding a lot more to my tank.

Anyways, I didn't realize how dry my substrate was until today; I just use play sand, and it's completely dry basically no moisture. I poured a tiny bit of dechlorinated water into the corners to maybe make it better, but I realized a hermit crab was missing.

Perhaps it started molting when I was gone? Well right now I'm terrified the water might have interrupted its molt or collapsed the sand. If I leave the sand dry, it'll risk collapsing on the crab, but if I make it moist again, I could stress or kill my crab, right?

What should I do?

[isadoraisacat]

First never pour water directly into the sub you will end up with a flood or bacterial bloom. 2nd you sub won't hold moisture with out being mixed with coco fiber. If your sand is not damp enough it may not hold tunnels and could collapse it's possible your crab could have dug and had the sand collapse. I'm not expert enough to offer any advise on what to do about that. But once you locate your crab the best you can do is add in cocofiber that's been moistened with dechloinated Marine salt water or fresh water and mix until damp sand castle consistancy. Than add in a bubbler to your pools and a moss pit. A solid glass top like a versa top is cheap on Dr fosters and smith and really helps hold in heat and humidity.

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[bxbylxv]

First never pour water directly into the sub you will end up with a flood or bacterial bloom. 2nd you sub won't hold moisture with out being mixed with coco fiber. If your sand is not damp enough it may not hold tunnels and could collapse it's possible your crab could have dug and had the sand collapse. I'm not expert enough to offer any advise on what to do about that. But once you locate your crab the best you can do is add in cocofiber that's been moistened with dechloinated Marine salt water or fresh water and mix until damp sand castle consistancy. Than add in a bubbler to your pools and a moss pit. A solid glass top like a versa top is cheap on Dr fosters and smith and really helps hold in heat and humidity.

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Once I get this whole thing with my crab figured out, I'll be sure to get coco fiber!
May I ask whag coco fiber you use?

[PinchersAndShells]

A kind a lot of crabbers like is called Eco Earth. It comes compressed into blocks and you let it sit in dechlorinated saltwater until it's no longer a block, then just mix it in with the sand. I'm not sure how to go about doing that if you have a potential molter though.

[Rawrgeous]

I would remove all the crabs that are up, and iso them for this following task. You will have to excavate the crab that is underground. Dry sub can collapse on a molter and kill them. Have a separate Iso prepared just in case the crab is molting. Start in one corner and carefully dig a ditch into the corner, carefully feeling for anything hard with your hands, then, layer by layer excavate to the end of the tank until you see the crab. Scoop out the sub under the crab just in case it is soft and place then them in the iso. If there is an exo add that too. Then if you plan on adding eco earth, mositen it first, and add it to the dry sand. Mix it up, and very slowly add water until you are happy with the consistency. If the crab that was underground is active and moving around at this point, give him a dip in the fw pool and he can go back with the colony. If he has molted, or is shedding, etc. Leave him be in darkeness in isolation and let us know and we'll give further instructions.

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[mool]

In the "for what it's worth" category, I've always poured water into the corners and along the edges of my dry tanks. I also sometimes intentionally over flow the FW bowl when I top it off.

I've kept 100's of rescued crabs and have had very few deaths.