HCA: Hermit Crab Association

One of my crabs in a mixed tank concerns me. She is one of two strawberries (the other is molting) but she has the company of a couple of PP's and several small E's. The thing is, in the morning and evening for about 2 or more hours at a time, she paces in front of the tank, back and forth from one ...

My crabs' favorite food EVER is blueberries blended in a blender with about 1/4 as much honey mixed in. This way when they eat the honey they also get the antioxidants and color from the berries. I am now experimenting with adding a pinch of spirulina and some other things to make it their "health f...

If it's a larger tank you might need a UTH on each end as I have. I have one of them on a thermostat so it turns off if the tank reaches the set temperature; normally it is off during the day but comes on at night.

Gorgeous kids! Oh yes and the boy, too.

I have found that once a week on the dry base diet and twice a week on the treat/variety plate is the sweet spot. For the former, I just barely cover the bottom of the small dish. If gone, I add more, but there is usually still some there at the end of the week when I toss it. For the treat dish (po...

I think the question is, did you put any type of sealer on the structure, like shellac, etc. Because it looks super-cool but probably won't hold up to the crabs from the picking and the nails climbing-and it may not be safe to ingest. But I think if it was sealed and allowed to ventilate for quite a...

So it is inside the tank? That is what I was thinking would have to happen. Do you ever see basking behavior?

I am hoping I can help. I have the same tank, and despite some people not liking them, I can't imagine EVER not having a front-opening tank. The sub is to the doors (6") in the front, and about 6 " into the tank I put 12" acrylic so that it makes a terrrace of 12" deep for the rest of the tank. I fo...

I have a 40 gallon with a few e's and PP's and 2 strawberries. I would like to know the ideal temp for them; each seems to have a slightly different "range". Am I better off having it skew low or high; for example, would it be preferable to have it at 83 day and 80 night (low) or 85-6 day and 83 nig...

The tubing to my fresh that is submerged gets slimy in about a week; it is brown algae, pretty sure. I just wipe it with a dry paper towel on weekly changes, and change the bubbler when it gets clogged. The salt must discourage algae because it has much less of a problem.

That looks like past mold that has since dried up; hermit crabs are tough but mold is never a good thing. I'd get it out of there and clean the tank as soon as practical (everyone up).

For my crabs I sometimes see them take interest in a shell over and over but not move in. I think they may be working to modify it when we see them with their faces and pinchers down in there. Next day, they will do a little more. I have no idea how long this takes but as it is exacting work (one li...

Yes I think that two equals a GANG in strawberry land. When my male was up the two of them literally rearranged the tank every night; I could not wait to get up and see which large objects they had decided to relocate. Now that he is down (3 weeks and counting) the Female is still active but not as ...

That's a relief. The first time I saw it I thought for sure she was dead. Next time I am feeling stressed out I want some of what she is having!

I'd like to hear more about your strawberry's behavior. I am new to them, only had my two for about 6 weeks. One went under about a week after they came home. The other who is the female is so unlike any other crab I have or have heard described. She literally hates to hide; will not go under anythi...