Zoea *successful captive breeding & rearing of C. variabilis

[Cecil716]

Any updates on the babies? I can't believe, 19 left! What are you going to do with them when they get to the adult stage?

[Curlz]

off topic:
I think that the "green stuff" are algae / algal. Near my saltwater pool are some sites where algae are growing in the sand (coming form the saltwater and the sun/the light)

[Nat_addicted to HC's]

Any updates on the babies? I can't believe, 19 left! What are you going to do with them when they get to the adult stage?

There is 23 in their larger shells now and quite a few that are still in their first shell (I counted a total of 28 the other day) so I would assume there is more than 30 doing great. I did put 43 megalopa (I lost 2 that I know off) in the transition pools so it will be interesting to count them when I move them into their growing crabitat. A
fair amount of the crabs that have changed into larger shells have dug down, the sand looks pretty funny now with all these little and bigger tunnels First molt took them 1-2 days after digging in, & second molt slightly longer so it will be interesting to see how long they are down this time if they have gone down for a molt, I have been keeping and eye on a couple of crabs that I watched tunnel down and they have been down for 2 days now.
& yes what am I going to do with them all when they are bigger??
@ curlz it's nice to know others have green stuff too

[aussieJJDude]

& yes what am I going to do with them all when they are bigger??

What about other aussie owners Me!

[Nat_addicted to HC's]

I wont forget you guy's!

[aussieJJDude]

I wont forget you guy's!

Yes... Start making room for them - got plenty of small shells
and any way, arn't they too big - you know, they eat so much and alll it be easier to look after the adults... if you know what I mean???

[Curlz]

what am I going to do with them all when they are bigger??

I know a woman in Germany who would love to take care of them *sigh* .... but Australia is definitely tooooooo far away

[Cecil716]

I am looking at spending my summer learning more on hermit crab breeding! I think that we are on to something, CAPTIVE HERMITS! I can't wait until someone attempts to domesticate crabbies.

[Leeko]

I would buy a couple! I really want to support your captive breeding efforts. This is pretty amazing stuff IMO.

[HermieLuv<3]

Awww. Awesome! They are sooo tiny!!! I want one! Lol. )

[Nat_addicted to HC's]

I picked up a cheap second hand tank yesterday to set up for the babes, its a 2 foot tall, roughly a 20gal (ha I had to find a calculator to work this out), its going to be 40c here today so that's 104f!!! I will be on the lounge planning the offspring growing tank!
The little guys are going to need more room shortly, especially since I know there's 30 (possibly more) in the transition tank (5gal).
I don't want to start having crowding issues!!
Every crab that has changed into a bigger shell (I call them 2nd shells) is down,
there is 6 crabs up today (atm) & they are what im calling first shell crabs still for the obvious reasons and I believe they are still single molts too as the 2nd shells are quite a lot bigger.
hope this makes sense

[aussieJJDude]

Nice, when finished on tank we (I) need pics

[Nat_addicted to HC's]

Nice, when finished on tank we (I) need pics

sure thing

[Nat_addicted to HC's]

During the night most of the grabs that had dug down have come back up & they have molted, they are bigger and their colour is darker.

[Cecil716]

Yay! I can't wait until they are large enough to go in with the other crabs. What size tank are they in right now?