How deep should the water be?

[scroogedacrab]

So I know its suppose to be deep enough to emerge your biggest crab. But is it suppose to be deep enough to cover the entire shell or just the crab?

[spidtat]

I try to have mine deep enough for shell and all not just the crab. Sometimes that is not possible but if it is that is what I would suggest. Now if you do this, as you know, make sure to have a way out for littler crabs so they do not become stuck in the pool and drown. You can put rocks in the bottom or have a vine hanging down into the pool, Fluker's has a pool called the Groovy Jacuzzi that has steps leading down into it and it comes in various sizes as well. Just a couple of suggestions.

[xXxEmilixXx]

It depends on the size of your crab (s)
Tell me all of your crabs' sizes and I can help

[Hermie's rule]

Don't have it cover the entire shell!! Make it come up so that when your biggest crabbies get into the bowl their gills can be moistened. That's always been my take on it, though. Just make sure that your littlest hermies don't drown.

[ladybug15057]

I completely agree with spidtat and how our ponds are set up here... all with a safe way out for the little ones so they do not drown!

[ilovehermitcrabs!]

my suggestions would be rocks or sponges

[emmac350]

Sponges tend to breed bacteria, so it's generally agreed that unless one sterilizes them every day or two, sponges aren't the best way to to help little crabs out of the water.

Currently, my crabs use the air tube and airstone in the water bowls to get out. If you don't use them, I have used glass pebbles ([url]http://www.ancientwisdom.biz/pics/gp-14_l.jpg[/url]) to help them get out. Some people even use aquarium sealant to glue those to one edge of the bowl to allow small guys to get out. I have this dish - http://www.fishandfins.co.uk/images/pt2802.jpg and it worked great, as well as one that looks like a tree stump that I can't find a picture of. That one is textured and they can grab onto it with their legs and claws to get out.

Be creative with it - I used some (sterilized) partial conch shells from the beach in my old setup - they were really just the spiral from some 2 or 3 inch long conchs that they could climb up like stairs.

[ladybug15057]

Emma's correct about the sponges, and the picture she has referred to:
http://www.ancientwisdom.biz/pics/gp-14_l.jpg I use these under our substrate over the UTH end and they work great for that too. But in my votive candle holders I use marbles, which also work. Some use coral, vines or even plastic canvas craft sheets as ways for their hermies to get out of the deep ponds.