Trend of dead crabs - am I doing something wrong?

[GotButterflies]

I think that prime would still be safe, just follow the instructions on the use. . As far as Tupperware containers, understandable, perhaps something to look forward to in the future.

There are definitely other things you can do to add more "space" to your tank. You can buy fish net from the craft stores. Flukers makes one too, you can use shower caddies that suction, etc. I personally have never had luck with suction cups. I use the command strips that look like velcro. I'll see if I can look up the lowe's beach sand.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GotButterflies]

Okay, wow, my Lowe's has it. It looks like it is just crushed sea shells. No product description...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Tnguo]

I saw your question about wetting your substrate using Prime. I don't know if it's bad to mix your substrate with spring water, but I've always read to mix your substrate with saltwater. To me this always made sense because hermit crabs live by the ocean so they would be used to digging in sand that is wet from ocean water. The salinity will also help prevent bacterial growth in the sand.

I'm sorry to hear about your crabs passing away : (


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PickYerPoison]

Okay, wow, my Lowe's has it. It looks like it is just crushed sea shells. No product description...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It looked like general beach sand to me, yeah. Is that good? I read that using beach sand lets them find all the calcium they need, so that you don't have to add additional supplements. I think that crushed sea shells would count for that? Am I wrong? I am going to be putting a chunk of cuttlebone in there regardless, but it would be nice to know.

I saw your question about wetting your substrate using Prime. I don't know if it's bad to mix your substrate with spring water, but I've always read to mix your substrate with saltwater. To me this always made sense because hermit crabs live by the ocean so they would be used to digging in sand that is wet from ocean water. The salinity will also help prevent bacterial growth in the sand.

I'm sorry to hear about your crabs passing away : (


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I'm not sure what you mean by "question about wetting your substrate using Prime" - I think you might've meant my question about wetting my substrate with spring water. I did mix it with salt, but it was the "wrong salt" that I was using - not table salt (thank goodness) but medicinal salt for saltwater fish that didn't contain ocean minerals.

I did also have my question about Prime, which it would be great if someone could get back to me on!

And thank you to both you and everyone in here for your condolences on the lost crabs. I'm immensely relieved to hear about PPS because I'd been so scared I was poisoning, freezing, boiling, or doing something else horrible without realizing it! And now I can rectify the food, water, and heat situation, so that if the crabs that burrowed down come up someday hungry and thirsty they will find a nice crabitat waiting for them, as will any new arrivals.

[Kermie16]

Many of us can understand what it's like to work with a smaller tat. It just takes so much more creativity when u have a smaller area to work with. I started out with a 10 gallon and 3 hermies. Then moved up to a 20 gallon. I can't seem to find pics of my 20 gallon set up. But adding a second level like GotButterflies mentioned above, does really open up more options . I had my Tupperware pools above sub in my tank because I wanted the hermies to have more digging space and molting space. I still doubled the tupperwares because I didn't want to possibly disturb a molter underneath the pool. I also kept their food dishes and hides on the sub as well. I had cholla and reptile vine coming up from the sub to the second level. The second level had a shower caddy for all the extra hermie shells (their shell shop), I had one magnatural with a treat bowl where they could rest or munch, and I had Tupperware I cut some holes in on the side, slid in a couple of suction cups and made it their moss pit. I used the reptile vine that started on the sub level to connect to all the things at the top level. I got the larger vine so I could twist it around, which my hermies seemed to be more inclined to climb on . I also got a couple of reptile leafy decorations that also had suction cups near the pools - it was another way they could climb
In and out. If I find a pic of my 20g set up I will post it here. Another good idea would be to check the DIY forum here for more inspiration! There are soooo many HCA members who are crazy creative and it just makes it more fun to keep redecorating ur tat! Sorry I can't answer ur question about the beach sand. I am going to leave that to the more experienced crabbers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GotButterflies]

I think that using Prime will be fine, just follow the instructions. Don't over or under dose. Shells are a good source of calcium, the concern would lie more in does your tank hold humidity well and does the substrate match sandcastle consistency. When the hermits dig down they make tunnels and molting caves that need to be able to NOT collapse. I wonder if your substrate will hold. Have you done the chopstick/pencil test? If you can stick a pencil down the front of your tank and the hole doesn't collapse then you should be fine. As far as your substrate with the aquarium salt, I really think it will be okay. Do not add any salt at all to the substrate from this point forward. Salt does not evaporate. From this point forward if you mix substrate you know to use the right salt (Instant Ocean)

[Kermie16]

Here are a couple of pics from my 20 g tat. I redid this tat like 4-5 times! I'm more of a visual learner But hope it helps to give u ideas for creating a second level! Also as mentioned above, fishnet comes really cheap at craft stores and works great for added vertical wall climbing! Also coco mats:)

Looking forward to more pics when all is said and done!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GotButterflies]

Great use of space when you had the 20 gallon Kermie! It looked beautiful!

[Kermie16]

Thanks GotButterflies


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PickYerPoison]

That helps a TON actually, thank you! I'd been wondering how to go about making a second level like that but that really does explain it to me very well. I am definitely going to steal your idea of a "shell shop" on the second story. Now, I've read that hermies shouldn't be dropped (not that I intended to do that of course), but is it safe for them? Let's say something goes wrong and one of them falls from the second story and lands maybe a few inches lower on something hard, like a dish or another hermie. Is that going to hurt them?

[GotButterflies]

They climb trees in the wild and fall. They should be fine. Not a far distance in your tank.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kermie16]

Mine have fallen from scaling the top of the tank upside down straight down to the sub level and they just immediately tuck themselves in their shells for protection and will be surprised by the fall for a minute. When they realize they are ok, they just flip themselves back over Mine have fallen several times from crawling vines and landed in the pools Glad the pics helped!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[amwilliams]

I'm a little late to this game but I'm going to weigh in on the Aldi question. I love Aldi. They have been doing a great job of expanding their organic/health food options. Produce is cheap and you can freeze some to save for later. Go for it - your crabs (and your wallet!!) will thank you!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[PickYerPoison]

Fantastic. Knowing my crabs can drop and be fine puts me greatly at ease.

And good to hear about Aldi! Thanks

Anyway, progress update: I've done online shopping. Ordered Instant Ocean, Prime, and some cuttlebone, and they'll be here probably by the 4th. Until then, I've removed all the toys and smoothed out the substrate, so that there's no chance I'll miss either of the buried crabs surfacing on the off chance they do. Tomorrow or the day after I'm going to go out to some local craft stores and look into craft mesh or fishnet or something, as well as a shower caddie or anything I can use to build a second story that my crabs can climb around in.

Thank you so much for all the help, everyone! I'll post again when I get some new crabs and they've settled in, or if the existing ones surface.

[Kermie16]

Sounds like a plan!! And if u knit or crochet (or know anyone that does), u can easily make stuff out of all natural jute or help twine that the hermies can climb on or even make a second level or bridges with:) We will all be looking forward to some updated pics!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk