help ! mold+prevention, heating mat removal, plus other

[mylittlecrabs]

first off im going to use the emergency template just because it will provide helpful info.

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
i use a mix of playsand and coco fiber. its currently anout 3 inches deep where the heating mat is (will go into detail later) and 4 inches on the other side of the tank. i didnt put enough substrate in to begin with and now my crabs are buried and im not sure how to add it in. ive only had them for about a month. they are also small ish crabs i think about 1.5 inches tall.

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
ive got zoomed gauges. temp is usually at 80 degrees sometimes a bit higher like 82 and sometimes gets down to 78. humidity mostly sits at 80 and when it drops down i mist a bit to bring it back up.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
so i use a tikaton uth on the back of my tank on the left side. i believe i didnt install it correctly and it is also too low. ive got an ultra therm uth ready to put on it but im not sure how to get the adhesive from the other mat off so if anyone could give advice on that as well it would be appreciated haha

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
ive got 1 shell of fresh water treated with zoomed hermit crab drinking water conditioner, and another shell of salt water treated with the same conditioner and also mixed with instant ocean.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
i feed them fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, banana, seaweed, etc. as well as egg yolk and whites and the shells. ive got a few chia seeds planted in there that they like to munch on. i give them salmon, tuna, and chicken. thats about it for their diet lately, dont exactly have other stuff i cant give them at this moment as i live with my parents. i follow the triangle caresheet thats posted on here somewhere. i put it in at night and take it out to clean every morning.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
ive got 2. pps i believe, got them from petco a little over a month ago i think.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
i dont think so. one of them just came out after being buried for exactly a month but he doesnt seem to have changed. i think he might have been stressed. the ither one buried almost 2 weeks ago and hasnt come up.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
10 gal tank. ive got a glass lid on top and it has two small open areas

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
ive got 2. i believe they are about an inch and a half tall

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
ive got 3. ive been wanting to get more.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
no

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
i havent done it yet. i just noticed quite a bit of mold in the back corner that isnt the heater side.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
no

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
no

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
i dont believe so

16. Please describe the situation in detail.
ive noticed quite a bit of mold on the back right side of the tank. ive got a curved piece of wood against the back of the tank, kind of like a ramp up to the top of a coconut hut, and a place to hide. there are also some rocks i piled up in the back corner for them to climb on. but ive noticed quite a bit of mold on the wood and rocks where they meet the glass. not sure if the coconut hut has any, i havent been abke to see back there. the crab that recently surfaced was up there this morning and has since gone back into his hole like he does at night, but its behind and maybe under the wood with the mold, so im not sure what to do. i saw somewhere that said that you should only use water to clean things in the tank but elsewhere said to soak items in soap or vinegar or saltwater and dry it out so im not sure what to do haha. plz help any recommendations on how to prevent it in the future? i saw somewhere said to spray some salt water to prevent it.
thanks! help me! haha

[curlysister]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
i use a mix of playsand and coco fiber. its currently anout 3 inches deep where the heating mat is (will go into detail later) and 4 inches on the other side of the tank. i didnt put enough substrate in to begin with and now my crabs are buried and im not sure how to add it in. ive only had them for about a month. they are also small ish crabs i think about 1.5 inches tall.
Curly - You can just go ahead and add it to the tank, as long as you don't drop it in or pack it down, and don't mix it up. Some people are cautious and only add half an inch a day, but you can add what you need.

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
ive got zoomed gauges. temp is usually at 80 degrees sometimes a bit higher like 82 and sometimes gets down to 78. humidity mostly sits at 80 and when it drops down i mist a bit to bring it back up.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
so i use a tikaton uth on the back of my tank on the left side. i believe i didnt install it correctly and it is also too low. ive got an ultra therm uth ready to put on it but im not sure how to get the adhesive from the other mat off so if anyone could give advice on that as well it would be appreciated haha
Curly - Why don't you think it is installed correctly? It is okay if it goes below the level of the substrate. If you peel it off, you can't re-use it.

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
ive got 1 shell of fresh water treated with zoomed hermit crab drinking water conditioner, and another shell of salt water treated with the same conditioner and also mixed with instant ocean.
Curly - Be sure to check the 'water' care sheet to see if the dechlorinator is removing everything it needs to from your tap water. How big are the shells?

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
i feed them fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, banana, seaweed, etc. as well as egg yolk and whites and the shells. ive got a few chia seeds planted in there that they like to munch on. i give them salmon, tuna, and chicken. thats about it for their diet lately, dont exactly have other stuff i cant give them at this moment as i live with my parents. i follow the triangle caresheet thats posted on here somewhere. i put it in at night and take it out to clean every morning.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
ive got 2. pps i believe, got them from petco a little over a month ago i think.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
i dont think so. one of them just came out after being buried for exactly a month but he doesnt seem to have changed. i think he might have been stressed. the ither one buried almost 2 weeks ago and hasnt come up.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
10 gal tank. ive got a glass lid on top and it has two small open areas

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
ive got 2. i believe they are about an inch and a half tall

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
ive got 3. ive been wanting to get more.
Curly - HCA recommends 3 to 5 extra shells per crab. The 'shells' care sheet explains the types of shells that are appropriate for the species of crab you have.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
no

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
i havent done it yet. i just noticed quite a bit of mold in the back corner that isnt the heater side.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
no

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
no

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
i dont believe so

16. Please describe the situation in detail.
ive noticed quite a bit of mold on the back right side of the tank. ive got a curved piece of wood against the back of the tank, kind of like a ramp up to the top of a coconut hut, and a place to hide. there are also some rocks i piled up in the back corner for them to climb on. but ive noticed quite a bit of mold on the wood and rocks where they meet the glass. not sure if the coconut hut has any, i havent been abke to see back there. the crab that recently surfaced was up there this morning and has since gone back into his hole like he does at night, but its behind and maybe under the wood with the mold, so im not sure what to do. i saw somewhere that said that you should only use water to clean things in the tank but elsewhere said to soak items in soap or vinegar or saltwater and dry it out so im not sure what to do haha. plz help any recommendations on how to prevent it in the future? i saw somewhere said to spray some salt water to prevent it.
thanks! help me! haha
Curly - The combo of heat and humidity makes items in the tank prone to mold. The mold won't harm your crabs, but you don't want a ton of it in your tank either. Wodesorel is the Master of Mold Prevention - she soaks or boils wood items in heavily salted water (you can use plain kitchen salt, you don't have to use your Instant Ocean), then allows them to air dry. You can scrub the mold off first with just water. If you have a crab buried, don't pull buried decor out of the substrate, in case you disturb the crab underground.

[mylittlecrabs]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
i use a mix of playsand and coco fiber. its currently anout 3 inches deep where the heating mat is (will go into detail later) and 4 inches on the other side of the tank. i didnt put enough substrate in to begin with and now my crabs are buried and im not sure how to add it in. ive only had them for about a month. they are also small ish crabs i think about 1.5 inches tall.
Curly - You can just go ahead and add it to the tank, as long as you don't drop it in or pack it down, and don't mix it up. Some people are cautious and only add half an inch a day, but you can add what you need.

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
ive got zoomed gauges. temp is usually at 80 degrees sometimes a bit higher like 82 and sometimes gets down to 78. humidity mostly sits at 80 and when it drops down i mist a bit to bring it back up.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
so i use a tikaton uth on the back of my tank on the left side. i believe i didnt install it correctly and it is also too low. ive got an ultra therm uth ready to put on it but im not sure how to get the adhesive from the other mat off so if anyone could give advice on that as well it would be appreciated haha
Curly - Why don't you think it is installed correctly? It is okay if it goes below the level of the substrate. If you peel it off, you can't re-use it.

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
ive got 1 shell of fresh water treated with zoomed hermit crab drinking water conditioner, and another shell of salt water treated with the same conditioner and also mixed with instant ocean.
Curly - Be sure to check the 'water' care sheet to see if the dechlorinator is removing everything it needs to from your tap water. How big are the shells?
op- i believe they are about 4” by 3” and maybe an inch deep

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
i feed them fruits and vegetables such as blueberries, banana, seaweed, etc. as well as egg yolk and whites and the shells. ive got a few chia seeds planted in there that they like to munch on. i give them salmon, tuna, and chicken. thats about it for their diet lately, dont exactly have other stuff i cant give them at this moment as i live with my parents. i follow the triangle caresheet thats posted on here somewhere. i put it in at night and take it out to clean every morning.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
ive got 2. pps i believe, got them from petco a little over a month ago i think.

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
i dont think so. one of them just came out after being buried for exactly a month but he doesnt seem to have changed. i think he might have been stressed. the ither one buried almost 2 weeks ago and hasnt come up.

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
10 gal tank. ive got a glass lid on top and it has two small open areas

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
ive got 2. i believe they are about an inch and a half tall

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
ive got 3. ive been wanting to get more.
Curly - HCA recommends 3 to 5 extra shells per crab. The 'shells' care sheet explains the types of shells that are appropriate for the species of crab you have.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?
no

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
i havent done it yet. i just noticed quite a bit of mold in the back corner that isnt the heater side.

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
no

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
no

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
i dont believe so

16. Please describe the situation in detail.
ive noticed quite a bit of mold on the back right side of the tank. ive got a curved piece of wood against the back of the tank, kind of like a ramp up to the top of a coconut hut, and a place to hide. there are also some rocks i piled up in the back corner for them to climb on. but ive noticed quite a bit of mold on the wood and rocks where they meet the glass. not sure if the coconut hut has any, i havent been abke to see back there. the crab that recently surfaced was up there this morning and has since gone back into his hole like he does at night, but its behind and maybe under the wood with the mold, so im not sure what to do. i saw somewhere that said that you should only use water to clean things in the tank but elsewhere said to soak items in soap or vinegar or saltwater and dry it out so im not sure what to do haha. plz help any recommendations on how to prevent it in the future? i saw somewhere said to spray some salt water to prevent it.
thanks! help me! haha
Curly - The combo of heat and humidity makes items in the tank prone to mold. The mold won't harm your crabs, but you don't want a ton of it in your tank either. Wodesorel is the Master of Mold Prevention - she soaks or boils wood items in heavily salted water (you can use plain kitchen salt, you don't have to use your Instant Ocean), then allows them to air dry. You can scrub the mold off first with just water. If you have a crab buried, don't pull buried decor out of the substrate, in case you disturb the crab underground.

thanks curly!
i believe crispy has molted! hes all shiny and has pointy legs im so glad and i hope the other one is now molting

[mylittlecrabs]

i boiled the wood items in salt water but im so terrified and paranoid that the mold is going to come back. im trying to avoid misting that area but the humidity hasnt gone up to 80 since then and im scared to make it more wet in there. should i spray some salt water from time to time?

[curlysister]

Mold might come back, it's a common thing given the heat and humidity. No need to panic about it.
Misting or spraying with salt water isn't recommended, because when the water evaporates, excess salt can be left in the tank and substrate.