How do I know if I'm ready for more crabs?

[3Times5]

Sorry this is so long-
We have had 2 hermit crabs for about 3 months. I’m thinking I’d like to get a couple more since we have such a big tank. My problem is that I’m just not sure I’m a good enough crab parent yet. I haven’t seen Apple in about 4 weeks and there are no signs she’s been up to the surface for any reason. Now Flower, who normally stays buried but comes up at night to eat, hasn’t been to the surface in a week or so.

They came from a roadside shop in the Keys in July, and their cage was outside so they were in really warm conditions with high humidity. They were in a cage with perhaps 40 other crabs with no substrate or access to water of any significant depth.

At first we kept them in a container with just a bit of substrate. They hid in little flower pots, were moderately active and we held them every day for about a week. The temp was 73-75 and the humidity was 75% or so. Then we found out they needed better conditions and dug out an old aquarium. It took a few weeks to get it organized so they were in their original container for maybe one month.

They stayed above the substrate for a few weeks, hiding out in a coconut hut during the day. Apple changed into a bigger shell and the food was touched every night. Then Apple started digging down further into the substrate beneath the hut. I couldn’t really tell if she was coming up at all because Flower was hanging out in the hut during the day and disturbing the substrate. Then after a few weeks Flower started burying deeper into the substrate too. I moved the hut over a bit so I could watch for disturbances in the substrate. Flower kept coming up at night and eating and I could see she was at one or other of the waters sometimes.

Now neither of them has been up for a week. I just keep putting out food and watching for movement in the substrate. I'm pretty sure I've kept track of where they are, but I suppose they could have moved around without my knowledge. It really looks as though no one has been up though.

I think I have good conditions in my tank but I don’t know how well I’ve actually done with the crabs.

How do you know when you’re ready for more?

I don’t have a perfect iso tank, but there’s a shop nearby that seems to have decent temp and humidity that I might be able to match and build on in a temporary container I have.

Pictures (hoping the links work)-
Apple & Flower- http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21193673/IMG_20 ... 2357-1.jpg
The tank- http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21193673/IMG_20 ... 0146-1.jpg
View from the cool end- http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21193673/IMG_20 ... 230533.jpg
View from the warm end- http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21193673/IMG_20 ... 230512.jpg

Thank you!
Leslie

What is the volume of your main tank?
I think it’s 55 gallons

How many hermit crabs do you currently have? How big are they?
2, I think they are about 1.5 inches

How long have you had the hermit crab(s) that you are concerned about?
almost 3 months

What substrate or combination of substrates are you using? How deep is it?
Eco Earth, about 3” at its deepest, 1” over the heater

What do you feed your hermit crabs?
Whatever organic fruits/veggies we have, dried fruit, greens, bit of meat, eggs, egg shells, popcorn, cheerios, whatever we are eating that might be good for them. Oak leaves, herbs from the garden, cuttle bone.

Do you use distilled, bottled, tap or other types of water?
Tap

If you are using a dechlorinator, what brand is it? Does it state to remove all heavy metals, chlorine and chloramines?
API Tap Water Conditioner

What brand of sea salt are you using to supply your hermit crabs with salt water?
Instant Ocean

What heat source are you using and where is it positioned?
UTH, on the west end of the tank, covers close to half the length of the tank, uses a thermostat

Have you calibrated your thermometer(s) and hygrometer so that you can interpret accurate readings?
They are all digital

What is the air temperature range and humidity inside the tank?
Cool end- 73-75F depending on the temp in the house
Warm end- 90F on the glass, 80F on top of the substrate, 73-75F in the air just above
Humidity is usually in the low to mid 80s

What is the highest temperature that the substrate near the heat source reaches?
see above

Do you have any photos of your tank or hermit crab(s) of concern? If yes, please attach them to your post.
TYPE HERE

[Wai]

Sounds find, your hermit crabs may be moulting. Perhaps wait until they surface before adding more hermit crabs?

[3Times5]

Oh, it didn't occur to me that they might be moulting. It seems silly now, but I thought if they were moulting they'd ditch their shell above ground and bury themselves naked to moult. LOL.

I've spent the last couple of days reading the moulting section and forum.

I am endlessly surprised at how much there is to learn about these mysterious little creatures.

Thanks!
Leslie

[Thedrawingclaw]

Actually, a hermit crab should usually take its shell with it when it molts. I know mine do....

[CrabbyJo]

Yes Leslie, there is so much to learn, you will be constantly surprised! Another good source for information is also Crabstreetjournal.com, a sister site to Hermit Crab Paradise.

Rarely does a crab ditch it's shell when it molts. I had one do it myself, and have read about it happening to a couple of other people, but it's definitely a rare occurrence. They also are unpredictable about molting behavior, but after a while you get to where you can spot it pretty quickly, after you have had a few molts.

It sounds like you are doing fine, and yes, I would wait until the others surface before adding new, with a couple of weeks in an isolation tank before hand.

Good luck with your molters! It could be 4-6 weeks or longer after going down before they surface again.

Also, I would deepen the substrate if you plan to allow your crabs to molt in the main tank. The deeper they bury, the less likely they will be disturbed by other digging crabs.