Zoea *successful captive breeding & rearing of C. variabilis

Striker0086 · Post by **Striker0086** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:38 pm

You did it!!!!! You are the one of the first few to successfully raise zoea to the land stage!!!! You have captive bred hermit crabs!!!

Nat_addicted to HC's · Post by **Nat_addicted to HC's** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 10:33 pm

first to raise captive variabilis as far as I know :crabbigsmile:

Nat_addicted to HC's · Post by **Nat_addicted to HC's** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 10:35 pm

Happy Crabber · Post by **Happy Crabber** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 11:19 pm

OMG YOU ROCK! Thanks so much for the ruler pics! They are even smaller than I thought! I can't believe it!

WELLLLLLLL DOOOOOOOOOOONE!!! and BRAAAAAAVVOOOOOOOOOO!

I just love every pic you post.

Nat_addicted to HC's · Post by **Nat_addicted to HC's** » Tue Jan 22, 2013 12:07 am

Thank you, Im hoping more of you will give it a go! You can do it!!
Its vital to our wild populations that we work out how to breed our native species so they are not harvested from the wild in the future

NinjaPurgs · Post by **NinjaPurgs** » Tue Jan 22, 2013 12:34 am

So awesome!

Bridgitmac80 · Post by **Bridgitmac80** » Tue Jan 22, 2013 1:37 am

Beyond awesome!!!! This is soooooooooooooo cool!!!!!!

Post by **aussieJJDude** » Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:40 am

I so want to try! If I do, I will be amazed - and junking you with 101 Pm per day!
What is the sized shells that they begin with - it looks like 2mm opening?

Nat_addicted to HC's · Post by **Nat_addicted to HC's** » Tue Jan 22, 2013 2:45 am

aussieJJDude wrote:I so want to try! If I do, I will be amazed - and junking you with 101 Pm per day!
What is the sized shells that they begin with - it looks like 2mm opening?

I am happy to help

yes 1.5 to 2mm opening

i can help with getting them too!

Careyenz · Post by **Careyenz** » Tue Jan 22, 2013 6:15 am

It's just incredible to watch what you've done. Seriously, I hope you are busting with pride. Just a question, it looks like they will be able to stay in those shells for sometime. Do you have a plan for the next stage of shells, or an idea where you can get shells to step up? I'm imagining they will grow extremely fast at this stage.

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SoulLonely · Post by **SoulLonely** » Tue Jan 22, 2013 6:39 am

Wow! That is soooo exciting!

Thank you for sharing, they are soooo cute!

Nat_addicted to HC's · Post by **Nat_addicted to HC's** » Tue Jan 22, 2013 7:46 am

I have (thanks to shane) masses of shells of all sizes ready to go, I have graded them as per shell opening size ie 2.5 to 3mm is the size I have ready for their next stage. I have no idea how fast they will grow yet, curlz would be the best to ask although obviously all species are different.

Nat_addicted to HC's · Post by **Nat_addicted to HC's** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 4:47 am

I caught one eating its exo after a surface molt today

Curlz · Post by **Curlz** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 5:01 am

If they have got enough bigger shells, they will grow fast.
Some will stay in smaller shells, some took very big shells. I would say they have grown up triple size since they came on land.

See my webspace https://picasaweb.google.com/1120608556 ... directlink
(unfortunately I did not fill out the date. I wil update the dates soon
)
Now they are nearly one year old. (Hatched on the 08th of January 2012). First picture are the oldest. Last pictures are the newest.

and for example: the biggest and the smallest - both same years old:

Mister_Eff · Post by **Mister_Eff** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 10:30 am

This is really exciting! More captive-bred hermies in the future might be good for everyone involved, crabs and keepers alike!

HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Zoea *successful captive breeding & rearing of C. variabilis

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