MOLD!!

[LilHurricane]

1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?

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?

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?

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)?

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?

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.)?

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
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HCADirectors

Posts: 53
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 4:37 pm
Location: The HCA

Okay...

1. The substrate is filtered pool sand mixed with tropical soil. It is 6 inches deep.

2. Yes, I have a hygrometer/temperature gauge by Great Choice. It usually reads 80 degrees F and humidity fluctuates between 70 and 80%.

3. Yes, I have the heat source on the left side of the tank. It is Zoo Med UTH for a 40 gallon tank. My tank is around 49 to 55 gallons.

4. I have fresh water treated with AquaSafe for reptiles and amphibians. I treat the salt water with that first and then add Instant Ocean sea salt. I use as directed... 1/2 cup to a gallon of water. I keep it in a gallon jug so it is room temp (76 degrees).

5. I feed them fresh foods that I feed my family with no added salts or seasoning. I give a large variety every two days. Pineapple, blueberries, broccoli, dried shrimp, cooked hamburger meat, romaine, corn off cob cooked on grill (in foil), strawberries, peanut butter, coconut flakes, and hermit crab food that was given in a starter kit when I purchased them 2 weeks ago. PS - they don't eat it.

6. I have two crabs - one died the first week - they are PP's.

7. No.

8. They are in a glass aquarium with the aquarium lid. It's is between 49 and 55 gallons. I sealed the section where the filter used to be. It's sealed and I can open a 1/4 section on the top which is glass to feed them and check on them.

9. Two crabs - good size - 1 inch big claw - about the size of my palm when cruising around.

10. Probably a dozen.

11. No, but I have a humidifier that I rigged up to keep up the humidity. I do get condensation, but the humidity never goes over 80%.

12. I just set it up two weeks ago and have not cleaned it yet. I clean their water bowls at least every 4 days.

13. No.

14. Only non-painted shells I purchased over the internet and I soaked them in treated fresh water for a day before I put them in. Both of them moved into them the next couple of days.

15. If I'm supposed to keep their humidity at 80%, why am I getting mold on their wood decorations? Do I need to allow ventilation? When I did have the section of the tank where the filter used to be open, the humidity would stay near 70%, which I thought was minimum for them.

16. I just want to make sure these crabs are well taken care of and why the humidity is causing mold. I did not treat the sand with salt water before it was put in the tank, because it was already at sandcastle consistency. What do I do to maintain humidity and keep out mold and mites?

I have pics, but don't know how to post them here.

[LilHurricane]

https://scontent-mia1-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=583F9B39
https://scontent-mia1-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=5857FB3F

[MsWorld]

You can treat the wood with a salt water paste and bake the wood to help with the mold.

Any time you use wood you will get mold. I personally have changed everything out and no longer use wood or if I do use wood I only use it until the mold sets in and then I throw it away.

But I know there are a few people on here that can help you with the salt water paste mixture and how long to bake the wood at what temperature.

Good luck. Sorry to hear about the mold. I know mold is awful to deal with!

[LilHurricane]

Okay, so I am doing everything correctly? Just should steer away from wood.

[joe84]

This happened to me before. I ended up boiling the wood that got mold on it in Instant ocean salt water and then microwaved it. It killed the mold and I haven't had any in a few months. It does come back eventually but The "treatment" seems to hold it off for a bit. I have considered replacing my wood decor with something else as well.

[Laurie LeAnn]

I put the ends of my wood on slate rock and use big rock to hold it up if needed. It's not touching the damp sand or eco earth and it doesn't mold

[isadoraisacat]

I put the ends of my wood on slate rock and use big rock to hold it up if needed. It's not touching the damp sand or eco earth and it doesn't mold

Awesome idea !

This happened to me before. I ended up boiling the wood that got mold on it in Instant ocean salt water and then microwaved it. It killed the mold and I haven't had any in a few months. It does come back eventually but The "treatment" seems to hold it off for a bit. I have considered replacing my wood decor with something else as well.

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[KDK241]

Mold will happen in any high humidity environment but usually it reaches a peak and then dies off. When I change food and water dishes every day I wipe off any mold I see and that keeps it in check.

[Kermie16]

I currently have mobani wood in my tank. Haven't had any issues with mold on it. I did have problems with mold on the cholla and I was advised by some HCA members to not put it directly on the sub but to put a shell or rock or something in between the sub and wood. To try to lessen the occurrence, you can soak wood structures in MSW ( marine salt water) for several hours then bake in oven over low heat (I did mine at around 250 degrees) for about 1-1.5 hrs. Then let it sit out to cool. You could also lay it out to dry in sun. Either way, you want to make sure it is completely dry before you put it back in the tat.

[KayedeeLove<3]

Mold goes hand and hand with crabbing to avoid food mites think about isopods (roly polies)! The salt idea mentioned above works well!

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[gunstreet.girl]

Mold goes hand and hand with crabbing to avoid food mites think about isopods (roly polies)! The salt idea mentioned above works well!

I heartily second the roly poly recommendation. I used to have similar issues with mold in my crabitat (which is chock-a-block with various wood climbers - cholla, mopani, grapevine, etc.). Because my hermies are all big and rambunctious, keeping the wood raised on slate/whatever just wouldn't work, everything has to be dug in to withstand the weight of the climbers. A couple years ago I introduced a colony of about 3-4 dozen isopods and now there must be well over 150 in there and I haven't seen a spot of mold in more than a year..

[kieagcarm]

Mold goes hand and hand with crabbing to avoid food mites think about isopods (roly polies)! The salt idea mentioned above works well!

I heartily second the roly poly recommendation. I used to have similar issues with mold in my crabitat (which is chock-a-block with various wood climbers - cholla, mopani, grapevine, etc.). Because my hermies are all big and rambunctious, keeping the wood raised on slate/whatever just wouldn't work, everything has to be dug in to withstand the weight of the climbers. A couple years ago I introduced a colony of about 3-4 dozen isopods and now there must be well over 150 in there and I haven't seen a spot of mold in more than a year..

Can't the isos crawl out of the tank though? I fear bugs but do not really want to deal with mold as I have 2 pieces of driftwood and a wooden ladder I'm afraid the bus will crawl out and be in my room

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[Kermie16]

Mold goes hand and hand with crabbing to avoid food mites think about isopods (roly polies)! The salt idea mentioned above works well!

I heartily second the roly poly recommendation. I used to have similar issues with mold in my crabitat (which is chock-a-block with various wood climbers - cholla, mopani, grapevine, etc.). Because my hermies are all big and rambunctious, keeping the wood raised on slate/whatever just wouldn't work, everything has to be dug in to withstand the weight of the climbers. A couple years ago I introduced a colony of about 3-4 dozen isopods and now there must be well over 150 in there and I haven't seen a spot of mold in more than a year..

Can't the isos crawl out of the tank though? I fear bugs but do not really want to deal with mold as I have 2 pieces of driftwood and a wooden ladder I'm afraid the bus will crawl out and be in my room

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That was my fear as well but two points were brought up to me by other HCA members: 1. They need something to crawl on - they are unable to crawl on smooth surfaces like glass. 2. They need an environment with the humidity to survive like the hermies although they can survive in a bit cooler temps. So even if they do make it out of the tank, they wouldn't live for long. That said, we have had isopods for months now and have not had any escapees


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[gunstreet.girl]

Mold goes hand and hand with crabbing to avoid food mites think about isopods (roly polies)! The salt idea mentioned above works well!

I heartily second the roly poly recommendation. I used to have similar issues with mold in my crabitat (which is chock-a-block with various wood climbers - cholla, mopani, grapevine, etc.). Because my hermies are all big and rambunctious, keeping the wood raised on slate/whatever just wouldn't work, everything has to be dug in to withstand the weight of the climbers. A couple years ago I introduced a colony of about 3-4 dozen isopods and now there must be well over 150 in there and I haven't seen a spot of mold in more than a year..

Can't the isos crawl out of the tank though? I fear bugs but do not really want to deal with mold as I have 2 pieces of driftwood and a wooden ladder I'm afraid the bus will crawl out and be in my room

The thought had, in all honesty, never crossed my mind. None have ever escaped my tank, and I have wooden and other climbing structures that go right up to the lid (which is mostly covered, though some screen left open). They seem incredibly happy in there, eating and mating up a storm. (Now the crickets I used to have to keep to feed my late frogs were another story.. Talk about escape artists! And my cats took no interest in hunting them.. )

[Just Jay]

along with the salt method i also mist my wood till damp with salt water then put in the oven at 350. i rotate it from front to back often till its completely warm. then i do it again. so far that has worked well with me....but i did also just replace my netting with other climbing options. when the netting was in it would mold unless i could SW mist it once a day. (sometimes i can sometimes i cant) if not it would mold in less than 3 days sometimes.

im working on getting some isopods myself i just need to figure out a sousing situation for them.