HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Edit: I have a question concerning the baking of sand. Would it be safe to use aluminum foil as a lining on the bottom of the cookie sheet I place the sand on? I think I've seen people mention doing this but I was wondering if the aluminum would somehow get into the sand and be harmful to the crabs. If it is indeed harmful, what could I use to line the cookie sheet with?


The other day when I was looking in my crabs tank at the water I noticed there were springtails in it so I took it out to dump it outside. But I also noticed something else at the very bottom of the water bowl. It was a very thin, small worm, about the width of a strand of hair. o.o After I found it, I looked it up online and the only thing I found that matches the look is a detritus worm. I'm not sure if that's exactly what it is or not. I noticed one or two on the side of the tank as well and I just want to know if anyone knows anything about these worms. Do you get them in your tank? And should I be concerned?

My pet aquatic snails get those in their water all the time. Or maybe it's because they are wild-captured. I do not know if it is dangerous to hermit crabs. It is not horrible for people because once one of those worms made its way inside my fingernail while I cleaned the snail tank. So i looked it up online it says "If snails don't have those worms it is bad.

Hm. Well, these bugs are really grossing me out... I can't imagine having one of them INSIDE your nails. O.O *shudders*

I'm thinking it's time I did a deep clean. I haven't done one yet since I---or rather, my sister---got the crabs and that was somewhere in August last year. I'll have to go out and get more sand. No way am I keeping the sand that's in the tank. >> Too much of a hassle having to scoop it all out and worry about dumping bugs all over the house...