New Hermit Crab and setup

[ramanth]

*EDIT* More pics Post #12
Got another hermit crab yesterday. I like even numbers.

No pictures of him (he's currently in isolation for a couple of weeks) but here are some shots of the current 7 and their new tank set up.

Seven crabs




Aang


Purple 1 & Roscoe


Momo


Purple 2 and tiny Bear


Bear


The hang out


left-Aang; top-Purple 1; right-Purple 2; bottom-Momo

[ramanth]

Sokka


New tank setup


Left


Right



I love crabs.

[Cinder & Smoke]

Seven crabs

I love crabs.

Lemmie rephrase that ... >>>EEK<<<

[blue]

What size is the crabotat? How often do you have to upgrade their shells? Are they very active?

Cool pics.

[ramanth]

Phred, we have eight crabs now.

Blue,
It's a 20 gallon long tank. I haven't bought any new shells lately. I have a large variety of shell sizes so they have a collection to play with and sometimes they swap shells just for the heck of it vs. needing to move into a larger shell.

They are mostly active at night but they are more active than usual since it's a new setup to explore.

[blue]

Are they like nocturnal fish with a red light so you can watch them? I miss watching my catfish and rays with the red lamps.

[ramanth]

I know you can use heat lamps with them (I don't). So I'm sure a red light would be fine.

I just use what light is in the room or a flash light to watch them periodically.

[blue]

When I had my tanks I had red lights for all of them so I could see the cats and the rays when they where the most active. Allmost all of my fish where nocturnal.

How active are hermit crabs, are they good entertainment?

[ramanth]

I personally think they are pretty entertaining.

[chocolatepuppy]

Those little guys are just so adorable! I noticed one climbing up the 'plant' side of the tank. Can he get out?

[Fett]

If there was no lid on top, yes they'd try and get out. LOL! There is a metal screen lid on the top of the tank. We just removed it to take those pictures. Just like the gecko tanks, we have a towel over most of it, with just a little open space on one end for airflow. This keeps their humidity up more than a full open air top.

[ramanth]

The new gal Katara was out last night getting a drink, so I snapped a quick pic:



Playing with the plant wall


My smallest and largest...Bear on the left, Sokka on the right


Momo 'spidermanning' on the lid


Little Bear


Can you spot all six hermits?

[captain]

Wow - I would have never thought about keeping them ......... but what a great setup you have .....

So, they SWOP shells? I know NOTHING about them ........ so excuse my ignorance ...

[ramanth]

That's okay Captain! Happy to answer questions.

As they grow, they have to move into larger shells. But occasionally they will "shell shop" just for the heck of it. You'll see them pop into a new shell, try it out and often move back into the original shell.

It's funny when a crab moves into a shell that is either too big or too small for them. No idea what is going on in those little minds of theirs.

[Cinder & Smoke]

As they grow, they have to move into larger shells.
But occasionally they will "shell shop" just for the heck of it.

You'll see them pop into a new shell, try it out and
often move back into the original shell.

It's funny when a crab moves into a shell that is either too big or too small for them.

OK ... so the Crab isn't 'part' of the shell --- the shell is just a 'rented room' ??

The one doing the Spidermman *roof walk* on the tank cover ...
He's draggging his HOUSE along with him??
Just HOW does a Crab "hold onto" his House whilst he's wandering around the abode -
I see no suspenders??

Now the really DUMM one:
Are they UNDER water, like a Phish; or stopmin around on dry sand?

Dawgs look more *cuddlesome*.