HCA: Hermit Crab Association

So, today I decided to clean up my tank a little bit, it got messy while I was on vacation over the week. I would like to send some pictures to look at, including some of the things I changed and added.

Firstly, I am blown away by how many isopods are in my tank!
I began putting moss on the substrate, which triggered a lot of new ones to breed and hide in there. I also found them in my shell shop, in my pools, and inside the cork rounds.

Here are some photos of the tank, and a few of the hermits!

Full View


Moss Pit


Shells


Saltwater


Crabs (PP & E hanging out)


I opened up the floorspace dramatically by moving the barnacle and some branches out of the way. I really didn’t change much, but everything is slightly shifted here and there. Anyways, I hope you like it!


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I took some more photos



Ciara, I thought you might like to get some ideas!


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Beautiful.

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Pretty! I'm digging the new Es

ғɪᴠᴇ ᴘᴘs: ᴋᴏᴀ, ᴍᴏᴊᴀ, sɪᴀᴍ, ᴏᴢᴀʀᴋ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʜᴇʟʟᴀ

Looks great!!!


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I like all the variety of green plants and the different styles. Add in all the logs and branches it looks inviting to many crab. Do you have any issues with your crabs destroying the fabric leaves? I was always under the impression crabs pulverize them so I avoided them.

Thanks! I really like the tank too, and the E's
No, the plants are actually in good shape, they prefer to climb on the plastic ones.

stella wrote:I took some more photos



Ciara, I thought you might like to get some ideas!


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I'm just now seeing this!
It's so beautiful! I'm constantly jealous of your tank and how natural and beautiful it looks! your crabs are so lucky!
How bad were the isopods? DId you have to take some out or were they fine?

ciaraalston wrote:

I'm just now seeing this!
It's so beautiful! I'm constantly jealous of your tank and how natural and beautiful it looks! your crabs are so lucky!
How bad were the isopods? DId you have to take some out or were they fine?

Axtually, I rearranged while I had crabs down.
You can do this as long as you don’t pull or push anything into the substrate
So, therefore I wasn’t able to see the isopods in the tank at that time.

I am soon planning on another redecorating time, and I will be removing most of the isopods, and reintroducing less.
They are constantly active, all over the wood and branches



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I'm so nervous about adding them because I don't want them to overtake the tank and breed crazy. Maybe I'll add some, and once they start breeding take some out and monitor?

Also, my grass mats came in last night! Unfortunately I've been at work all night so I've got them laying out to flatten and fluff the grass out (they were shipped stacked on top of each other and smushed) so I'll hang them when I get home!

I have a couple of pieces of wood that I like having in the tank and the crabs love climbing them, but they seem so easy to tip over and I can't push down into the substrate because I have a tiny buried destressing. Any advice? I'm doing a remodel this week!

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ciaraalston wrote:I'm so nervous about adding them because I don't want them to overtake the tank and breed crazy. Maybe I'll add some, and once they start breeding take some out and monitor?

Also, my grass mats came in last night! Unfortunately I've been at work all night so I've got them laying out to flatten and fluff the grass out (they were shipped stacked on top of each other and smushed) so I'll hang them when I get home!

I have a couple of pieces of wood that I like having in the tank and the crabs love climbing them, but they seem so easy to tip over and I can't push down into the substrate because I have a tiny buried destressing. Any advice? I'm doing a remodel this week!

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I like to have at least one piece of wood for the isopods alone, and they will gather and breed like crazy, Every time I redecorate, I try to shake the wood piece off into my isopod tote. You can add about ten or so, and they’ll go from there,

Don’t rearrange to wild when you have a crab down, you can do anything you want above the sand, but don’t go on or below it
I can’t wait to get my CPU fan installed on my next decoration period!


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stella wrote:

ciaraalston wrote:I'm so nervous about adding them because I don't want them to overtake the tank and breed crazy. Maybe I'll add some, and once they start breeding take some out and monitor?

Also, my grass mats came in last night! Unfortunately I've been at work all night so I've got them laying out to flatten and fluff the grass out (they were shipped stacked on top of each other and smushed) so I'll hang them when I get home!

I have a couple of pieces of wood that I like having in the tank and the crabs love climbing them, but they seem so easy to tip over and I can't push down into the substrate because I have a tiny buried destressing. Any advice? I'm doing a remodel this week!

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I like to have at least one piece of wood for the isopods alone, and they will gather and breed like crazy, Every time I redecorate, I try to shake the wood piece off into my isopod tote. You can add about ten or so, and they’ll go from there,

Don’t rearrange to wild when you have a crab down, you can do anything you want above the sand, but don’t go on or below it
I can’t wait to get my CPU fan installed on my next decoration period!


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Thanks for the advice!!
I can't wait to see the final pics!

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It looks great! I need to fidget with mine a bit to open up floor space as well, but my tank is much smaller than yours so it's a wee bit hard to do!

Tonight

They are really having a blast! I served up mangos, strawberries, and grapes. Along with a dry mix of apples, mystery powder (?) and goji berries.


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