Temporary tanks/ISO

[Moe2076]

Attempt number 3 to post this thread....

I have about 6 threads going on in my head right now....

I you don't care to read my crab drama I'm bolding my questions below.

I've been crabbing since September 2019. I started with a 10, quickly had a 20 long then a 40 breeder and I am almost done building an aquarium stand for a 75 Gallon.

Be careful what you wish for... The SAME day I was lamenting that there are no crabs available for adoption in this rural area of Podunk where I live, someone posted 2 up for adoption... and me knowing that I was going to be looking to add to my colony of 7 soon went to go get them.

Hi my name is Jason, I'm addicted to land hermit crabs. I drove an hour and a half to the big city and right after I picked up my 2 new pp 1 tiny and 1 small we went to the least poor condition big box pet store in 150 mile radius of where I live and I found 1 large and 3 more mediums (all in paitned shells GRRR..that I "rescued". (No judgement please.)

I've read re-read and obsessed over the care sheets a bunch of times and keep trying to put in all of the details of my 40 gal setup but after 3 tries of losing it (both my post and my mind), I'm done with that. I know it's about as good as it can get and that's good enough for me. Both kinds of water 10 inches sub wet and dry foods all on the safe list 2nd level with shells, I need more I'm gonna order tomorrow (I have 20ish but I REALLY want 3 tapestry turbos for every crab, I have a mixed set, they like the green turbos ok and a couple in pearled, which I won't buy again because they are kinda thin... I digress again...)

I'm setting up 2 isos to watch the new ones until the 75 is ready and then I'm going to start the 75 with the the 2 adoptess, then the 4 new store bought and eventually the ones in the 40 gal. I have yet to have any problems with the 7 I have now who came in 2,1,1 and 3. As long as they are eating/drinking ok and moving about and don't have any bugs are they ok to start integrating with the rest? any risks?

[Moe2076]

Should I bathe the new ones or just wait till I put them in the 75?

[CrabbyLover77]

From what I've read on here, it's okay to put the newbies right in with the established crabs. Just give them a dip in the freshwater pool first so they smell like the tank/environment of the established crabs. Please someone correct me here if I'm wrong!
I had my one crab Beau for 7 years, and rescued 2 new friends for him in Aug. Those two rescues didn't originally live together either (they were only together for a short time in their pet carrier). I put them in with Beau right away and everyone did great. I rescued 1 more crab in Sept and put her right in with the other 3, and all went well. They all seem pretty happy together now and I didn't isolate any of them. Just check each crab over to make sure they don't have mites or anything that could spread to the other guys.

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[DinkDonk]

I don't think I have much expertise in this particular area, but I would say that probably bathing that would be a good precautionary measure sad that they get used to each other. I suppose that another possible factor to watch for could be acts of dominance when they are initially introduced to each other. It should not rise up into anything serious, so I suppose it could be a good idea to watch them closely as you introduce them to the tank with each other.

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[Moe2076]

From what I've read on here, it's okay to put the newbies right in with the established crabs. Just give them a dip in the freshwater pool first so they smell like the tank/environment of the established crabs. Please someone correct me here if I'm wrong!
I had my one crab Beau for 7 years, and rescued 2 new friends for him in Aug. Those two rescues didn't originally live together either (they were only together for a short time in their pet carrier). I put them in with Beau right away and everyone did great. I rescued 1 more crab in Sept and put her right in with the other 3, and all went well. They all seem pretty happy together now and I didn't isolate any of them. Just check each crab over to make sure they don't have mites or anything that could spread to the other guys.

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That's good to know. I'm probably just obsessing over nothing as usual. I'm not even sure if I conveyed the whole story right because I was on my 4th draft. If the 75 was ready I'd be putting them in. It's not ready for probably 2 more weeks so I need to set them up somewhere else first and I want good conditions, however I don't want them molting in the ISO so I'm going to just but a couple inches of sub and then add them to the 75 when it's ready. I've been home several hours now and all the crabs are moving about so that's a good sign.

[CrabbyLover77]

It sounds like all the crabbies will be good to go when you have your 75 gal ready. I worry a lot too. I watched my crabs like a hawk for the first couple of days when any newbies were added.

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[Moe2076]

I'm sure I'll be watching them close. I'll probably set the Wyze up to look in on the 20 and the new ones, if they are like the first set they'll be active for a few days then settle in. The ones in the 40 gal seem to take turns with their activity.

[Moe2076]

Finally finished! I got 3 of the 6 to change shells in the first 5 minutes!

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[Moe2076]

Leave em alone 5 minutes and 3rd of 4 out of painted shell. The biggest one has spread all the moss out of the big moss pit and is burrowing

[Hermiesguardian]

Leave em alone 5 minutes and 3rd of 4 out of painted shell. The biggest one has spread all the moss out of the big moss pit and is burrowing

It's amazing that they know the painted shells aren't good for them.