HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Since you've come to the emergency forum, we know you want a fast answer to your question. In order for us to figure out the problem as quickly as possible, we ask that you answer the following questions as best you can. Some of them may seem odd, but they're all designed to give us the information we need to give you a good solution for your problem. The things in the [ brackets ] are there to make this post easier to read once submitted. Thanks!


1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Mix of play sand and ee

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
Not currently. Purchasing tomorrow. Have a uth though

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Uth mounted on the back corner

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
Both fresh and salt water. Zoo med salt and fresh water kits

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Zoo med crab food. Plus fresh pepper and tomato

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
A few days. They are both pps

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
They have not yet. But seems they might soon

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
They are in a 10 gallon tank. Slide mesh lid but mesh is covered to keep in moisture

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2 maybe .5 inch shells?
10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
None at the moment which is why im worried

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?

No
12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Will clean weekly. Changing substate ever few months. But have not had them that long

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No
14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
Got them from the fair. And just trying to make sure im doing everything right. One started coming all the way out of his shell after being burried in the substrate most the day. The other is just burried deep
16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Wondering if without extra shells for the time if the crabs will be okay.

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1. What kind of substrate is used in your tank and how deep is it?
Mix of play sand and ee

It should be atleast 6 in deep or 3x the size of your crab

2. Do you have gauges in the tank to measure temperature and humidity? If so, where are they located and what temperature and humidity do they usually read?
Not currently. Purchasing tomorrow. Have a uth though

That's good! Just make sure you have a way of maintaining humidity.

3. Is a heat source used in the tank? If so, what?
Uth mounted on the back corner

4. What types of water are available (fresh or salt) and how is the water treated (what brands of dechlorinator or salt mix and what ratio is used to mix it)?
Both fresh and salt water. Zoo med salt and fresh water kits

Use tetra aqua safe plus dechlorinator for your salt and freshwater and instant ocean for your salt water.

5. What kinds of food do you feed and how often is it replaced?
Zoo med crab food. Plus fresh pepper and tomato

Pepper is not good for crabs.

6. How long have you had the crab and what species is it, if known?
A few days. They are both pps

7. Has your crab molted, and how long ago did it happen?
They have not yet. But seems they might soon

8. What type of housing are the crabs kept in, what size is it and what kind of lid is on the housing?
They are in a 10 gallon tank. Slide mesh lid but mesh is covered to keep in moisture

What is the tank covered with? Just wondering, it's good that your covering the mesh lid with something.

9. How many crabs are in the tank and about how large are they?
2 maybe .5 inch shells?

10. How many extra shells are usually kept in the tank, if any?
None at the moment which is why im worried

You should have atleast 3 extra shells per crab.

11. Have there been any fumes or chemicals near the crabitat recently?

No

12. How often do you clean the tank and how?
Will clean weekly. Changing substate ever few months. But have not had them that long

13. Are sponges used in the water dish? If so, how are they cleaned?
No

14. Has anything new been added to your crabitat recently?
No

15. Is there any other information you would like to share that might be helpful (anything that is regularly part of your crab care, playtime, bathing, etc.)?
Got them from the fair. And just trying to make sure im doing everything right. One started coming all the way out of his shell after being burried in the substrate most the day. The other is just burried deep

16. Please describe the emergency situation in detail.
Wondering if without extra shells for the time if the crabs will be okay.

Without extra shells you run the risk of "shell fights", which often times are lethal. I would strongly recommend you put in some appropriate sized shells for your crabs. When your crabs molt they are growing and need larger size shells to move into.

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If you mean bell peppers then those are ok. Preferably organic. The seasoning pepper is not good for them. Cover your lid with saran wrap taped down. No need to change out your substrate unless there is a bacterial bloom or bug infestation. Just spot clean. You can try and find shells at a hobby store. You may have to buy a bag and only find a couple of usable shells. But it's better than nothing untill you order more shells.

Hey guys!
It is bell pepper. Not the spice pepper.

We got 4 shells today from the pet store. Ordering more online tonight/tomorrow.
Everything was fine last night. Wake up this morning. One crab(named jarred) was no where in site. The other (named kevin) was buried pretty deep. Could only see the top of the shell. I got home today and kevin was in the same spot. Opened the tank and pulled back one of the plants just to see how he was doing. And i noticed that he was sitting/standing right on top of jarred. Is this normal?
When we put them both in the tank they seemed to “size” each other up. Then had feeler fights. Then seemed to get along.

Thanks for all the help!!

Make sure (before you buy any other shells) that you get shells that are appropriate for crabs. I went to a pet store a couple of days ago and just happened to look into the display they had labeled "Hermit Crab Shells" and not ONE of them was any kind of shell that ANY kind of hermit crab could use. Purple Pinchers--the most common kind of crab sold in most places--prefer shells with round openings; they will take a shell with a wide oval opening, but (in my experience) NOT after they have any option that has a round opening. I hope that the shells you got from your pet store were okay and not a waste of your money. Check out the shells forum here to see the kinds of shells that they can use. If the ones you got from the store are not like that, take them back and do everybody else who might come to that store after you a favor, by telling the store manager that they are ripping people off by selling shells "for hermit crabs" that crabs cannot use; if they are going to sell shells "for hermit crabs" they need to be appropriate shells.

As for whether it is normal for them to be right on top of each other, my two (Major Tom and Billie Jean) were basically inseparable for years. They hung out close to each other, and when Major Tom was still down molting after Billie Jean (who was smaller, so took less time) was already up, she would rest during the day on top of the sand where MT was dug under molting (she clearly knew where he was, but did not disturb him). "Feeler fights" are not fights; they explore each other that way. If they are fighting, they are grabbing with pinchers and trying to shake or pull at the other. As long as that is not happening, they are probably getting along fine.