How many crabs in my tank? And is a tote bin cage okay for a long time?

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

So, I currently own four purple pinchers. They are a mix of smalls and mediums. I'm considering getting some more, but was not sure how many more could fit in my tanks. I have a 10 gallon tank and a 15 gallon tank. Does anyone have a suggestion for how many more crabs I could fit into my tanks without overcrowding (if any?)

Also, I've noticed that some people on here have posted about keeping their crabs in tote bins. Does the plastic break from the weight of the sand? Is it hard to attach a heat mat to the plastic?
Thanks!

[curlysister]

Are you asking because you want to get more crabs?
When calculating space, we consider the foot print for molting space. Adding a topper does not increase the number of crabs you can have.
Also remember that crabs will grow, so you will either be able to have less crabs or you will need larger tanks.

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

Thank you! What is the best way to determine how much space each crab needs?

[Vaneli]

For your tanks, you're probably at or close to the limit already. A good rule is about 5 gallons per crab, so unless you upgrade to a bigger tank, I wouldn’t add more. Overcrowding can lead to stress and aggression.
As for tote bins, a lot of people use them successfully, but the plastic can bow under the weight of the substrate if it's not thick enough. Some reinforce the sides with tape or other supports. Heat mats can be tricky on plastic since they don’t distribute heat as well as on glass and can cause warping, so you’d want to monitor it closely.

[curlysister]

HCA doesn't subscribe to 'x gallons per crab' - it is really dependent on the size of the crabs. Here is our caresheet:

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=92541

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

For your tanks, you're probably at or close to the limit already. A good rule is about 5 gallons per crab, so unless you upgrade to a bigger tank, I wouldn’t add more. Overcrowding can lead to stress and aggression.
As for tote bins, a lot of people use them successfully, but the plastic can bow under the weight of the substrate if it's not thick enough. Some reinforce the sides with tape or other supports. Heat mats can be tricky on plastic since they don’t distribute heat as well as on glass and can cause warping, so you’d want to monitor it closely.

Thank you!

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

HCA doesn't subscribe to 'x gallons per crab' - it is really dependent on the size of the crabs. Here is our caresheet:

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=92541

Well, you said that a topper doesn't increase how many crabs you can have.

When calculating space, we consider the foot print for molting space. Adding a topper does not increase the number of crabs you can have.

So, do you just calculate how many crabs you can have based on the size of the base aquarium, not any toppers?

[curlysister]

Well, you said that a topper doesn't increase how many crabs you can have.



So, do you just calculate how many crabs you can have based on the size of the base aquarium, not any toppers?

Correct - you calculate how many crabs you can have based on the size of the base of the aquarium (ie- the 'foot print'), not any toppers. That is because toppers don't add any molting space, which is when they are most vulnerable to being harmed - when there isn't enough underground space and another crab might come across them or dig them up.

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

Okay, thank you! I just decided to put all four of my hermit crabs in the 15 gallon tank, and not get any more for now (till I can hopfully one day get a larger tank!).
It was too much work, taking care of two tanks. I've been really busy latly, and thought I could keep up with two tanks, but it was kinda hard.
Oh, well

[C: ClareCrabOwner :)]

Here are the sizes of my crabs:

Teddy (1 1/4 in.)
Mr. Eyeballs (1 1/2 in.)
Marine (2 in.)
Moss (1 1/3)

If I have crabs that fall between the sizes on this sheet (//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202110 ... 6eaf24.jpg), would I round up or down for the crab's size? For example, Teddy is 1 1/4 in.. Is he a teeny (1 in.) or a small (1 1/2 in.)?

[curlysister]

For the purposes of calculating how many crabs you can have in a tank, I would round up - because they are going to grow for sure!