Can someone give a new crab owner advice?

[Rlow1292]

Hi everyone my name is Ryan I’m very new to having hermit crabs I’ve had these 4 crabs since July 25th. I have them in a 20 gallon tank with 6” of 5-1 plays and eco earth an Uth on the back and one of the sides. Temp is a constant 79 degrees in the upper middle portion of the tank and humidity is a constant 89% there is one crab that is never seen, he is the biggest one. he is burried and has been for a like 3 weeks now. The smallest just went under a week ago and the other two just sit there above the substrate I don’t see much activity from them. When i open the lid it’s kinda musty in there is that normal due to the humidity? And should I be concerned about my crabs?

[Hermitsandplants]

i wouldn't be concerned, mine smells musty sometimes as well. don't worry about the crabs that are buried, they do that sometimes if they are stressed or molting. you might need to upsize in the future, but otherwise the setup seems good. they are nocturnal, so its normal for them to not move around during the day. when mine is super musty i just open the doors of the tank for a little bit to air it out, then i remist with saltwater usually(i don't know if the saltwater actually helps haha but i like to think it does).

[ChonkyCrabsLover]

Hermits will go under for weeks or months to molt after being purchased. One of mine stayed under for a few months and the other didn’t immediately molt and transitioned perfectly. There is a wide range of how crabs react after being in a new tank. Your setup looks good. I would recommend getting a thermostat and insulating your tank if it gets cold for you in the winter. I have a zoo med thermostat. You can make insulation by wrapping cardboard with aluminum foil. Having a musty tank I perfectly normal. My guess is that it’s from moist coco fiber. All the care guides are great on this site and I recommend taking a look at as many of them as you can if you haven’t yet. Good luck with your crabs!

[curlysister]

I am copying my reply on your other thread here -and will delete the other thread since it is pretty much the same as this one.

Hello and welcome to the forum - and to crabbing!
It is very normal for crabs to spend a lot of time underground, especially when you first get them. They might not have been in good conditions to molt, so sometimes they go under for a molt right away. Sometimes they go under to de- stress. And sometimes they go under just for fun LOL.
Happy content crabs are often not too active. I wouldn't worry about that.
The normal smell for a crab tank is kind of musty - a product of the humidity and coco fiber.
Sounds like you are doing really well so far!