HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hello people,
I am starting this thread to track my steps and attempts at raising some crab babies. WHY? Well when I added some fresh ocean water to my pool last night Sunday 10th Jan 2016 I noticed one of my crabs sitting on top of the water on a plant. When I added new water the crab climbed up and away. The day before (or 2 days before) I noticed another of my crabs right down in the salt pool. Also on 8th January at about 2200 hrs I noticed 2 crabs belly to belly on the sub for an extended time. Ginger I know is female. The other - Mango have not been able to find out (in 3 years) So I was thinking that was mating behaviour... BUT it was Mango that was sitting on the plant in the salt water.

Natalie is helping and encouraging me in my attempt but I'm not at all confident.

First off, congrats.
I really hope the best for you, I'm sure that Nat will be a great support.

My fingers are crossed!
Nat can help better because she successfully bred C. variabilis twice.
But as I already said: feel free to ask - maybe I can help you either.


Gesendet von iPhone mit Tapatalk

Congrats and how exciting I wish you all the luck in the world! Keep us posted and try to give us pics if you can!

OK my home made kreisel set up is running. Seems to be doing OK.
I have 2 large jars in a foam esky with a heater in it. Airstones in both jars. I transfered the water from the tat pool and added some fresh. Then tried with a 5mm tube to syphon off excess. That had a stocking over the end and was totally unsuccessful as it got clogged instantly. Will need to get a larger diameter tube for this.

So I resorted to using a baby medicine dropper to suck out 5ml at a time with some larvae in each lot. They went into a second jar. Took forever and I only got about 1/3 of the total larvae. BUT didn't find any dead ones. That surprised me. As did the fact that after I tipped the tat pool into the jar I removed the mangrove seedpod with roots that has been in that pool for months. I rinsed the pool and added the mangrove then tipped a bit of clean salt water in. There were about 5 live larvae. These had obviously been caught up in the root system. BUT airflow in tat pool must have been enough to not have dead water.

I then used the dropper to suck out more water (with a stocking over it) and reduced the amount of old water in that jar. Added more fresh and walked away.

Even in the old water jar there didn't seem to be any dead ones. Maybe I just don't know what to look for at the moment. There was one very pink/orange one that went into the clean water jar.

Need to work out how to add photos to this thread now.

https://vimeo.com/151509929 the jar with larvae in it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not sure if today is Day 3 or 4. That depends on which of 2 crabs actually deposited the eggs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Congrats!
So if I recall the larvae-stages of variabilis right, there are only a few days and you will have your first megalopa.

I wish you the best possible luck with this. It will be interesting to see how things unfold, we appreciate you documenting it on the HCA.

https://vimeo.com/151572391 I used the slow -mo option on the phone for this. Taken at 0800 on Wed 13th January. This makes it at least day 3. I can't see any changes in them. Might need to get a magnifying glass. But it seems they are still alive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I remember Nat saying the really *fun* started when they turning into megalopa. (Where they turned into little cannibals).

The thing that piped my interest in the mangrove seed pod! (You have one!?) I thought they were illegal to *keep/own/purchase* in Australia? (Been looking for one in the last 6 months and came up with nothing.)

This is amazing. Congratulations, and keep the updates coming.

aussieJJDude wrote:I remember Nat saying the really *fun* started when they turning into megalopa. (Where they turned into little cannibals).

The thing that piped my interest in the mangrove seed pod! (You have one!?) I thought they were illegal to *keep/own/purchase* in Australia? (Been looking for one in the last 6 months and came up with nothing.)

OOPS didn't know they were illegal. I just picked it up on the beach one day and stuck it in the salt pool. It has sent out roots and continues to not rot in the water so I've left it there. Crabs use it to get out of the water... No leaves or other stuff at the top end yet though.

Yep not looking forward to the cannibal stage... BUT I have just contacted a researcher from Southern Cross Uni here in town. He has done a heap of work with crayfish so perhaps he will be able/willing/interested in helping me out.

1300 hrs on Wed 13th January I took out about 300ml and replaced with fresh ocean water. All seem to be going along well. BUT still no noticable changes to their look.

OK looking at ways to divide my zoea up so they dont eat each other. Wondering if cylinders of flyscreen mesh with aluminium bonsai wire threaded through the base to make it stiff and a little heavier would work in the jars.

Comments please on if this is a good or bad idea and why?