Poor Hulk

Questions about unexpected problems.
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PepperAnn15
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Hermit crabs: 6
Total gallons: 65
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Poor Hulk

Post by PepperAnn15 »

Hello, please help me as i am one of those stupid mall victims.

We have huge tank and we saw a demo in the mall on these crabs and purchased 6, each came with an additional Shell. the instructions given we through them in a tank with room tempature and spray them daily and provide some food but no salt. easy enough lets give it a go. In my mind i was thinking how much harder then fish can this be?

They didn't seem right very soon after we got home and i started researching and now have their tank at the recomended temps. its sitting between 70-75 with a humity of 80%. The Tank is a 65 gallon lizard tank and has a cornor with Crab graavel and 2-3 inch deep plantation soil. treated wood and rocks for climbing and i have purchased some natral non painted shells.

They came back around fast and have been active and happy. yesterday "Hulk" who has always been the shyest and least active was in the midle of the tank shell less. he looked sick! I picked him up and put him near his shell and he did go back in.. but he seems so weak and is not "all the way in"

I have sprayed him with water and picked him up a few times to see if hes alive and the last time I did one of his legs fell off. he is very pale and barley moving and no antena movment at all. everyone else is fine. please tell me if there is anything i can do to help him.

Also I do not have nor have i ever offeed saltwater. I read this the other day headed to the one pet store we have hear and they are out.. I will offer this as soon as i have it available. I have bee using boiled tap water and or bottled water. Boiled water removes all the chlorines was told by the pet store... is this wrong too!
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Wai
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Re: Poor Hulk

Post by Wai »

There are a lot of issues we need to address, so please answer the following questions as asked in the forum rules:

What is the volume of your main tank?

How many hermit crabs do you currently have? How big are they?

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

What substrate or combination of substrates are you using? How deep is it?

What do you feed your hermit crabs?

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

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

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

What heat source are you using and where is it positioned?

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

What is the air temperature range and humidity inside the tank?

If you are using an under tank heater, what is the highest temperature that the substrate reaches?

Do you have any photos of your tank or hermit crab(s) of concern? If yes, please attach them to your post.
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PepperAnn15
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Posts: 6
Joined: 01 Feb 2011, 13:59
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 6
Total gallons: 65
Total tanks: 1

Re: Poor Hulk

Post by PepperAnn15 »

What is the volume of your main tank? >>>> I would say 65 gallons... it is a large lizard tank about 2.5 feet long and 1 foot wide and 3 feet high

How many hermit crabs do you currently have? How big are they? 6 crabs, 1 small the rest are a range but mostly medium shells

How long have you had the hermit crab(s) that you are concerned about? we got them all on the same day and its been since Jan 10th

What substrate or combination of substrates are you using? How deep is it? >>> Its 2" deep but as the have moved it around it is deeper in some area's of the tank and more shallow in others. It is planation soil, "tropical Terrarium substrate" the brand is EXOTerra. I have also put Crabworx gravel in the corner of the tank it is about 1" thick.

What do you feed your hermit crabs? I have been feeding them a mix of natural ... grapes, cucumbers, chicken etc and have also started them on crab food and treats from Crabworx

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

If you are using a dechlorinator, what brand is it? Does it state to remove all heavy metals, chlorine and chloramines? >> No

What brand of sea salt are you using to supply your hermit crabs with salt water? >> I have not both the mall guy and then the pet store said this was not necessary, i went to the pet store and they were out, I will buy aquarium salt as soon as they have it in stock.

What heat source are you using and where is it positioned? It is a Heat Lamp positioned like a "sun" shining in from on corner of the tank, causing that corner to be between 75-80 and the opposite side to be a little cooler

Have you calibrated your thermometer(s) and hygrometer so that you can interpret accurate readings? >>> They are brand new.

What is the air temperature range and humidity inside the tank? humidity gage says 80%, soil is wet underneath and drys quickly on top, heat reange is 70-80

If you are using an under tank heater, what is the highest temperature that the substrate reaches? Im not



Hulk is looking dead at this point though he moved a little... he is on his side and mostly out of his shell. I can see he has lost another leg....
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Wai
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Re: Poor Hulk

Post by Wai »

PepperAnn15 wrote:What do you feed your hermit crabs?
I have been feeding them a mix of natural ... grapes, cucumbers, chicken etc and have also started them on crab food and treats from Crabworx
I would stop offerring the Crabworx products. The other things are fine, but you need to add more variety to their diet such as other fruits, vegetables and meats to keep them healthy in the long run.
PepperAnn15 wrote:Do you use distilled, bottled, tap or other types of water?
I use boiled Tap water or bottled.
I would just use bottled water. Boiling tap water will not remove all the heavy metals in tap water. Some crabbers feel the need to add dechlorinator (e.g. API brand) to bottled water, but I don't and haven't had any problems so far.
PepperAnn15 wrote:What brand of sea salt are you using to supply your hermit crabs with salt water?
I have not both the mall guy and then the pet store said this was not necessary, i went to the pet store and they were out, I will buy aquarium salt as soon as they have it in stock.
Once you do, buy the Instant Ocean Sea Salt or another type of sea salt designed for marine fish. Stay away from the hermit crab salt products.
PepperAnn15 wrote:Have you calibrated your thermometer(s) and hygrometer so that you can interpret accurate readings?
They are brand new.
Calibration is something you have to do yourself. You can't assume that new hygrometers are already accurate. Follow these instructions to calibrate your hygrometer.

Although I would like to be optimistic, I don't think Hulk will recover, so be prepared for his passing. Keep him as comfortable as possible by continuing to provide for him in case he does recover. I think Hulk has fallen to such a fate due to deprivation of salt water and PPS. Do you have an isolation tank? Separate Hulk from the others or set up a barrier around him out of glass sheets or a cut soda bottle. Push the barrier deep into the sand (making sure no hermit crabs are buried near Hulk). The other hermit crabs should not be able to climb over the barrier. You might also need to hand-feed Hulk if he is not eating on his own. Try honey on a toothpick and gently smear the honey onto his mouth parts or between his claws.
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PepperAnn15
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Re: Poor Hulk

Post by PepperAnn15 »

so... I am sad to say we did lose Hulk. I was prepared to "bury" him in his shell but he fell out when i picked up the shell, so I have placed it on the counter for now. I have read here that you can boil them and throw them back in for the others but I think im going to give it a bit.

Now I am beyond worried about the others... They seem fine but i don't really know what fine is... so are they... I changed out all the water to bottled water. I am still waiting on the salt, hopefully tomorrow. I am going to order a actual hydrometer as what i have is a moisture indicator and now im not sure i can trust it. tempature seems good.

I will start a new thread under an appropriate topic as i have so many questions and your advice has been great.
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Wai
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Re: Poor Hulk

Post by Wai »

Don't confuse a hygrometer with a hydrometer - the two are very different. Hygrometers measure humidity, while hydrometers measure salinity.

Sorry for your loss. :(
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PepperAnn15
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Posts: 6
Joined: 01 Feb 2011, 13:59
Gender: Female
Hermit crabs: 6
Total gallons: 65
Total tanks: 1

Re: Poor Hulk

Post by PepperAnn15 »

I have a Hygometer from crabworx. Its not real fancy... should i need a beter one... can I calabrate this one... Its out of the tank now and tells me my house is about 62 and was over 80 in the tank... so its at lease reading something.
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Wai
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Re: Poor Hulk

Post by Wai »

It'll do, so just calibrate it. It's not a difficult process anyway.
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