HELP: Can large loud bubblers disturb/scare crabs?

[Kellie]

Hello!
So in my tank I have quite large bubblers for my water pools, they are circular in shape maybe silver dollar size..
They are LOUD. To sleep at night I have to turn them off, and the humidity in that side of the tank drops (although my probe in the middle of the tank still reads 99%). I'm hoping that drop isn't stressful. The gauge that drops is above the pools in top left corner of my tank right below my open (not covered with saran wrap and aluminum) wire top. So I get why it drops a lot, it's probably reading my room humidity when the bubblers are off.

Anyways my question is, can the bubblers annoy the crabs?
My one crab Wolf dug under immediately after purchase beneath the SW pool and hasn't emerged since. Rio, my other crab doesn't come out when the bubblers and lights at on.
The second I unplug the bubbler and turn off the lights though she comes out and redecorates the tank (shells move everywhere!) and climbs and eats. Last night she let out a low loud cackle-like chirp. Which worried me, I wasn't disturbing her so why did she yell (I was in bed).

I was wondering if maybe she doesn't like the loud semi-vibrating bubblers? Or is it just a coincidence because I shut them and the lights off at the same time?
I just don't want to disturb my crabs.
Especially because I go home on the weekends and the bubblers will be left on 24/7 when I'm gone. I don't want her to not come out because of them.

I ordered smaller bubblers in hope for lesser noise but they won't be here till late next week.

If anyone has any insight let me know!
Thanks so much!

[aussieJJDude]

If the bubblers are new, I reckon that the crabs may be not use to it. But after a while - you and your crabs - will get use it it. At most its probably just a your crabs want to party when dark, have you tried turning off the bubbler or light while the other is still on and see if the crab still comes out?

If you noticing that there's too much airflow in the tank where water is sprayed everywhere, then yes. I would reccomend downsizing or putting on some valves to restrict the airflow in the tank.

[CrabMater]

My crabs are scardey cats. I would imagine animals who rely on floor vibrations to navigate prey animals proximity, constant vibration might be very stressful. I have zero proof of this. Just looking at it from all angles.


Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

[Rawrgeous]

Eh. I think they get used to it though. Mine can be quite loud if knocked the wrong way, and my crabs seem to ignore it completely. If I walk up though, the wee ones are all snapping in shells and rolling backwards. Little crab ninjas. XD

[Kellie]

Thanks guys.
I changed the bubblers to smaller ones and now the bubble sound is down a lot, however when I go up to the cage and listen it is incredibly loud in there. I think the sound is coming from air being pushed through the air tube. It's a low loud hum.
I'm really scared I'm doing this wrong somehow and totally stressing my crabs out with the sound.
It just seems so loud.
The bubbles hardly make sound but man that hum is insane.

I have a whisper pump and it definetly isn't whispering.

Also I had to move my cage a bit to fit things on the dresser (where my crabs are) and since the cage is heavy my push was abrupt and kinda like a quick shove. (I was hoping to move it slowly but it just went when the force was enough).
I'm super worried and mad at myself now.
I have a crab that's under.
Did I just bury him or super stress him out?!
Little things all over the place aren't going right.):
Sorry, just worried.


Added a air valve and turning that down took away the sound in the cage
Now the actual pump makes a low whisper now and vibrates.
Hopefully it's not annoying vibrations that get to the tank.

Noticed little bubblers actually make bigger bubbles and therefore more bubble noise.
Maybe switch back to my big ones? Now I don't know which was salt and which was fresh anymore though.
Ugh I was so careless when removing them now I don't remember.
Would rinsing with di water be fine then just reuse?

[NinjaPurgs]

My crabs were scarred of the bubblers at first but once they got use to it they would go into the pools and sit in the bubbles. You could attach an air flow control valve to turn down the bubbles a bit if you wanted to. I have valves on both of my pools. They're pretty cheap and you can find them at Petsmart, Petco, and online.

[kieagcarm]

Do you have the pump sitting higher than the pools? If not, water will get into the tubes and go into the pump. That could make a noise I would think. I freak out over everything with my crabs too and constantly feel I'm doing something wrong. What's an air control valve? Maybe I need one. But I got the smallest power pump I could find and maybe that is why my bubbles are so tiny. My crabs have loved the bubbler since the very minute i put them in, bellatrix dove right in the sw and hung on to the air stone for a good three minutes lol

Sent from my C5215 using Tapatalk

[aussieJJDude]

If you have the pump below, sometimes its fine other times its not. I've never had a problem with placing the pumps under the tanks, but others have. If you're worried about it, then get a check valve. (They stop "backwash"... for a few bucks, its totally can give you some peace of mind.)

What's an air control valve?

Basically a "dial" that reduces the size of the tubing - in a sweeping general statement of valves, since there are different kinds... but they all do the same function - which is useful for controlling the amount of air flowing through. The less air = less bubbles. They also handy if you have multiple stones feeding off one pump, as air will find the path of less resistance. Using valves, you can control the amount of air entering a section of hose, ultimately controlling and equalising the two airstones.

[PinchersAndShells]

Do you have the pump sitting higher than the pools? If not, water will get into the tubes and go into the pump. That could make a noise I would think. I freak out over everything with my crabs too and constantly feel I'm doing something wrong. What's an air control valve? Maybe I need one. But I got the smallest power pump I could find and maybe that is why my bubbles are so tiny. My crabs have loved the bubbler since the very minute i put them in, bellatrix dove right in the sw and hung on to the air stone for a good three minutes lol

Sent from my C5215 using Tapatalk

I have found that as long as you have a valve check and/or a gang valve (I believe this is what they meant when they said air control valve) above the pools you should be fine with having your pump below the 'tat. My pump has been on the bottom shelf to my aquarium stand since I got it.

[littletechcrab]

Just my input, I bought the small pump at Walmart. Works great. I have a small valve on the line to regulate the air flow. The pump sits under the cabinet and it is very very quiet. I know in the wild the crabs live near the ocean. I would think the ocean waves are much more thunderous then the airstones we all use. I have not had any problem with my crabs being stressed out over the bubbler. I think as crab keepers sometimes we over think things. Mother nature has better ways to adjust to change than us humans. If your pump is that loud I personally would change it out.

Sent from my LG-H901 using Tapatalk

[Kellie]

Thank you a ton guys, once I added the valve my whisper pump has a low buzz and the sound in the tank is just bubbles.
You all keep saying your pump is above or below the tank.
Mine is on the same shelf as the tank.
Is that bad? My tank is on a dresser (I'm in college) and everything sits there.
Is the air pump vibrating the cage and annoying the crabs?
I can't feel any vibration touching the wood dresser around the legs of the pump but the actual pump is very vibrational.

Thanks guys.

[aussieJJDude]

No its fine. Its just if people place it lower than the "body of water" some pumps are prone to back washing once it's turned off, with could empty out all your water in the pools over your dresser. A one way valve - found in most pet stores - will stop this from happening.
If you can feel any vibrations on the dresser, its not going to annoy the crabs. Most - if not all - pumps vibrate and the rubber feet helps reduce/contain vibration on/in the pump only.

[kieagcarm]

Thank you a ton guys, once I added the valve my whisper pump has a low buzz and the sound in the tank is just bubbles.
You all keep saying your pump is above or below the tank.
Mine is on the same shelf as the tank.
Is that bad? My tank is on a dresser (I'm in college) and everything sits there.
Is the air pump vibrating the cage and annoying the crabs?
I can't feel any vibration touching the wood dresser around the legs of the pump but the actual pump is very vibrational.

Thanks guys.

I keep mine on top of the lid. It's so silent.

Sent from my C5215 using Tapatalk