Building My First Crabitat

TigerLily · Post by **TigerLily** » Sat Sep 26, 2015 2:02 pm

Hi,

I just joined this forum and it's already helped me a lot! There's lots of great info on here!

I currently don't own crabs, but I'm building a 40 gallon breeder crabitat. I have a few questions about the build and the right conditions. I haven't really decided a species yet, but I'm torn between Ecuadorians and Purple Pinchers.

Questions:
1. How many crabs?
2. Are pineapple plants safe? One website said they use it as a background plant, since it's super tough and they don't seem to be able to rip it apart.
3. I currently have bromeliads for the crabitat, would spider plants and live sphagnum moss be okay also?
4. I have zoo med mopani wood, can I use this type? I will also be getting this type for the bromeliads: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0032G ... _pC_nS_ttl
5. I plan on buying a fake vine, will this one be safe to use? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003PA ... _pC_nS_ttl

Thanks!

soilentgringa · Post by **soilentgringa** » Sat Sep 26, 2015 2:24 pm

Hi! Check out our care guides first and then you will want to read the stickies in the Crabitat Conditions subforum.

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=92457

Tank size guide:
http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=92541

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JulesRolyCrab · Post by **JulesRolyCrab** » Sat Sep 26, 2015 2:37 pm

Hi, welcome to the HCA!!!! I'm glad you are doing research and everything before hand! So depending on where you are, you might not even be able to find Ecuadorians at the store, but know that exotics do require more care and substrate, etc. make sure you read up on that.

Here is the crab basic care: viewtopic.php?t=92457

1. http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 51&t=92541

^^^Hopefully this helps, it really depends on the size of crabbies you are getting.

2. I don't know much about this, but it really is easier and a lot of the time safer to not use live plants in the 'tat. Hopefully someone else will say if it is safe

3. Same. I use Mosser Lee Sphagnum Moss, not live. You can get a large back for super cheap at Home Depot.

4. Mopani wood is safe, but soak it in correctly prepared salt water/rinse it before use/ or you can bake it. http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=78585
I don't know about the ExoTerra wood, does it say what type of wood it is? Make sure it is safe for the crabs/ you know the type before putting it in. You can clean it the same way as the mopani if it is safe.

5. Yes, it is, just make sure to rinse/clean anything you put in the tank beforehand w/ dechlorinated water.

Good luck!

TigerLily · Post by **TigerLily** » Sat Sep 26, 2015 6:32 pm

I read most of the stuff in the crabitat conditions forum. I also tried to find some threads about 40 gallon breeders to see what other people think about how many would be just right!

I'm pretty sure the ExoTerra wood is a grape vine, but I'm not too sure. I usually prepare my wood that I place in my aquariums, so preparing wood is no problem! I did hear about using vinegar instead of soap/chemicals.

Another question I had, but forgot to post:
How long are they supposed to be quarantined? Also do I need to do it in pairs, since they're social?

JulesRolyCrab · Post by **JulesRolyCrab** » Sat Sep 26, 2015 7:13 pm

So grape vine is completely safe.

Vinegar is great, I used it to clean my tank before use.

So assuming you will have no crabs in the 'tat before getting them, [to the extent of my knowledge] you do not have to iso them. That is only if you add new crabs to existing crabs (even then, you don't have to). Otherwise, I think you can put them all in. Isolation/quarantining is usually for aggressive behavior from another crab, or a surface molt. You don't have to get a separate tank, you can just set up a small, several gallon critter keeper inside of your 40 gallon, w/ the proper substrate/food, etc. so you don't have to worry about heat and humidity.

Lol, sorry, I went off on a tangent there. You do not need to quarantine, as you are introducing all of the crabs together into their new habitat. Usually you do that because the old crabs think the new crabs smell funny, but most people just give the new crab a dunk in the freshwater, and they are fine.

About you question on how many, I would say no more than 8, I would go less than that, because assuming you have correct conditions, they will live for a long time and grow a lot. If you get the full 8 or 9 small ones, understand that you will have to upgrade when they get larger.

TigerLily · Post by **TigerLily** » Sat Sep 26, 2015 8:29 pm

Thanks!!

I have a 2 - 3 gallon kritter keeper that I planned to use as an iso tank, but I guess I won't have to do that!

I plan on doing a saltwater pool (around 2 gallons) with live rock and sand, but I was unsure as to if I should get something to produce ammonia for it (so the bacteria doesn't die out)? I really would like to someday try my hand at raising the babies, after reading Curlz, wodesorel and wolfnipplechips attempts, but if I add a snail would it eat any potential eggs? Also anyone know if they will eat live freshwater plants, like vals?

soilentgringa · Post by **soilentgringa** » Sat Sep 26, 2015 9:04 pm

I've never ISO'd new crabs. Ammonia is toxic to land hermit crabs. I would say no to the saltwater pool unless it is cycled/filtered properly. 2 gallons is really quite large and not absolutely necessary (while cool!). I would be worried about potential flooding as well.
Other mods who have experience on that situation can totally chime in!

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JulesRolyCrab · Post by **JulesRolyCrab** » Sat Sep 26, 2015 9:19 pm

You might want to look into creating a false bottom if planning on using the 2 gallon pool. Just as a precaution for flooding.

TigerLily · Post by **TigerLily** » Sat Sep 26, 2015 11:19 pm

I was thinking since the plan was live rock and sand, they harbor beneficial bacteria that breaks down ammonia, without the food (ammonia) the cycle will crash and you'll have to restart. At least thats what I understand about beneficial bacteria (I'm a freshwater keeper, but I haven't had a saltwater tank before, so I may be wrong about how they cycle. I'll read more about it). Like you said, the larger pools do look cool! I would really like to have a larger pool in the crabitat (of course I'm also just fine with a smaller one!), but I'll make sure I take the precautional measures (like a false bottom like @JulesRolyCrab said) if I plan to do one. Here's the design I was looking at for the pools: http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... hp?t=72938

Thanks!

JulesRolyCrab · Post by **JulesRolyCrab** » Sun Sep 27, 2015 11:22 am

Those pools look super cool! I don't know much about the ammonia bacteria stuff, only that ammonia is the reason I am supposed to clean the fresh and salt water every several day....

TigerLily · Post by **TigerLily** » Sun Sep 27, 2015 2:00 pm

I asked about it on a fish forum, so I'll let you guys know what they think! Those pools are awesome!! I saw some other variations to it, but this one was the best and the most space saving one. I'm hoping to have this all setup and running by Christmas, so I'll post some pictures then!

Post by **wodesorel** » Mon Sep 28, 2015 2:15 am

If this is your last tank every, stick with between 4 and 6. You'll be glad you did as they get bigger.

Pineapples are loaded with pesticides. Start with an organic top if you can find it!

Yes to all the plants, but the hermits will destroy them.

Wood will mold, so be prepared. It's no big deal though. Try to make sure it's completely dry before adding it, that helps a lot in preventing the growth in the first place.

Hermits don't pass communicable diseases (as far as we know) - they are nothing like fish. Deaths can be tracked back to poor conditions after harvest and during transport, which we call Post Purchase Syndrome. PPS is what causes deaths in new hermits and the only way to help it is to make sure conditions are good and stress levels are low until they are able to molt for the first time in captivity. (They are really similar to Otocinclus in that respect, if you're familiar with that species and the problems it has.) However, new crabs can be starved and crazed from being warehoused and transported, and sometimes for the safety of all parties it helps to iso for a couple of days so they can change shells and fill their stomachs before being placed with others.

The main problem with tanks inside the crabitat is the huge fluctuations in ammonia that will happen. As you know, fish produce a steady amount of waste so the bacteria is always fed and there's always enough of it to take care of the waste once it's been fully cycled. Hermits may go days without touching the pool, and then decide to track in a bunch of cocofiber, and that uneaten shrimp, and then empty their poop into it for good measure. It's a cycling nightmare. It can certainly be done, but it takes a lot of monitoring and adjustments on the fly. Live rock will definitely help jump start things and help steady things, but it's a pain to clean around. And yeah, hermits will eat ANYTHING. If you have PPs, they should appreciate more freshwater over salt.

TigerLily · Post by **TigerLily** » Mon Sep 28, 2015 10:38 am

Thanks!

None of the wood will be touching the ground, it will all be attach to the glass (very small or cut up pieces so they're not heavy). So no worries about mold!

I'm pretty tied with PPs and Es, so I'm not really sure which I'll go with. I guess I'll just be getting which ever they have that day (my pet store carries both, but sometimes has more of one species one day and more of the other the next day).

I'll definitely monitor the pools a lot! I heard they like to drag stuff around the crabitat.

What types of food do you guys use? I see lots of them at the pet store, but I'm not quite sure as to which is the best for the crabs.

Post by **wodesorel** » Sat Oct 03, 2015 1:25 am

PPs are always a breeze to take care of. Es can go either way.

We recommend a natural diet here, as many commercial foods have chemicals that are potentially harmful. There are some things that can be bought at stores, but nothing that will be a complete diet: http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 25&t=92555

Check out Kili's nutrition guide to know how much of what they need: http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 25&t=92554 and then the safe food list which is everything they can have - most are things in our diets or things available from the yard: http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/ph ... 25&t=92557

TigerLily · Post by **TigerLily** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 10:38 pm

I did hear about hikari foods being okay, as well as other fish foods. Are they able to eat decapsulated brine shrimp eggs also?

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