16g on dormrooms: dorm disaster!

[Astinus]

Most Crabs that I am aware, not sure about "Marine" Crabs, but, they will dig a "Burrow" to Molt and or to "De-stress".

Either case, What ya did, "So now I put a towel over that side of the tank to give him some rest" was a pretty smart thing to do.

It isn't so much as giving him/her rest, but let's the little guy feel more secure.

As for the Spike...I can't answer.  I Haven't a clue.

[Weetabix7]

The small spike could easily be caused by stirring things up, as you guessed. 

However, it wouldn't surprise me if it went away fairly quickly, like overnight, especially since you now have healthy bacteria built up in there. 

I think you'd be fine to add sand, but would recommend only adding a thin layer so that it is easier to maintain and keep from becoming a "detritus trap". 

[Lisa166]

Thanks! 

@Astinus I read they did that for molting. Did not know they'd also do it to destress. The growing claw suggests him being close to a molt though!

 

@Weetabix7, thank you. Was indeed planning on a small layer. I just find it more appealing then bare bottom. 

Do you think I can safely add a trochus historio (or two?) As well? 

[Weetabix7]

Ummm... I would wait til you see no ammonia to add snails, tho I think the ammonia will go away quickly. 

[Lisa166]

Hi all!

 

The ammonia was still above 0 yesterday morning, so I decided to hold off on the snails for a while more. Thinking that that was a good decision, as the trip to the store gave me more ideas to change my scape some more. 

 

I think I will lose more life from the rocks if doing it, but I do think I will smash the upper rock and maybe the one below i too. See if I can create another kind of scape. 

I don't think it will get as pretty as the ones we saw at the store today though.

[Weetabix7]

29 minutes ago, Lisa166 said:

Hi all!

 

The ammonia was still above 0 yesterday morning, so I decided to hold off on the snails for a while more. Thinking that that was a good decision, as the trip to the store gave me more ideas to change my scape some more. 

 

I think I will lose more life from the rocks if doing it, but I do think I will smash the upper rock and maybe the one below i too. See if I can create another kind of scape. 

I don't think it will get as pretty as the ones we saw at the store today though.

 

Go for it!!

You might not lose as much life as you think. 

Looking forward to seeing the results. 

(By the way, you should expect it to take about 3 times as long as you think it will to work on it. Long experience talking there, lol. )

[Lisa166]

4 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

Go for it!!

You might not lose as much life as you think. 

Looking forward to seeing the results. 

(By the way, you should expect it to take about 3 times as long as you think it will to work on it. Long experience talking there, lol. )

Thanks! 

I have exams in a few weeks, so I am currently diehard studying and using the tank for having some breaks in between studying. 

 

I just have to choose now, will I wait untill after exams and do it all in one day, or do it in pieces and work on it for an hour orso every day... 

[Lula_Mae]

On 4/11/2017 at 10:29 AM, Lisa166 said:

I am really hoping what we see there (just left from the middle) is another feather duster and not aiptasia! These things have been popping up here and there. I find it hard to see the difference between the two. 

 

The macro in the top middle of the pic looks just like my red palm macroalgae, it is one of my favorites!  Can't remember the scientific name off the top of my head, but a very nice hitchhiker to have!  You've done a great job with the soft cycle and saving so much life on the rocks.  And Houdini is so super cute!!!

[Lisa166]

14 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

The macro in the top middle of the pic looks just like my red palm macroalgae, it is one of my favorites!  Can't remember the scientific name off the top of my head, but a very nice hitchhiker to have!  You've done a great job with the soft cycle and saving so much life on the rocks.  And Houdini is so super cute!!!

Thank you so much! 

 

I will be smacking two of the rocks to pieces sometime soon, to create a better scape. Not sure how much will survive then. But we will see! 

[Weetabix7]

5 hours ago, Lisa166 said:

Thank you so much! 

 

I will be smacking two of the rocks to pieces sometime soon, to create a better scape. Not sure how much will survive then. But we will see! 

 

Good luck, we look forward to seeing the results!!

[Lisa166]

Houdinj IS molting!! 

He is super white now, and part of the exoskeleton seems to be just outside of his little cave. I read they use them to get their nutrients, so I will leave it in. Just wondering if I should get him some food near his hiding place or just leave him be until he has some color back. 

 

I am so happy with this! Hoping he will survive the rest of the process as well

[Lula_Mae]

When my pom pom crab molted, I did drop a pellet or something nearby but otherwise left her alone to finish her business (though she was already out of her old molt when I found her).  You might could put a small amount of food nearby but I think he'd be fine without it and if you just wait a day or two.  Actually, that's probably what I would do, just wait a day or two lol.  That way he's not possibly disturbed during this crucial time.  Not sure if they bother eating during the molt process anyway.  Now, once he's out and visible again, once the exoskeleton has hardened?  Go for it!  I am sure he will be hungry!

[Astinus]

Believe it or not, Houdini, like most crabs I am familiar with, will eat his Old Exoskeleton. Will provide him with much needed Calcium.

Once he is out and about, and hardened back up, he will be hungry.

If I remember correctly, he is not fully Marine?  So, I would offer some Small amount of Peanut Butter and Honey.

Yes, That's right.  He will eat it up   The Honey will give him some extra energy

Peanut Butter  will also provide some extra protein.

[Lisa166]

4 hours ago, Astinus said:

Believe it or not, Houdini, like most crabs I am familiar with, will eat his Old Exoskeleton. Will provide him with much needed Calcium.

Once he is out and about, and hardened back up, he will be hungry.

If I remember correctly, he is not fully Marine?  So, I would offer some Small amount of Peanut Butter and Honey.

Yes, That's right.  He will eat it up   The Honey will give him some extra energy

Peanut Butter  will also provide some extra protein.

Yeah, he is eating the exo skeleton :). 

we think he is a marble crab (metasesarma obesum), so he is not a marine crab, no. I have not been able to find much information about them, so I am just doing what I think is best. He seems to like the salmon, but leaves the algae tablets alone.

But Peanut butter and honey!? Would other nut-butter also work? (I mean almond butter and such) 

 

Thanks for the tip, I guess I will try to put it outside of his cave tonight. 

[Astinus]

Try the other Nut-butters..I haven't had any experience with them.

Beware that they don't contain chocolate.  I don't know how Chocolate

would interact with Crabs.

 

[Lisa166]

1 hour ago, Astinus said:

Try the other Nut-butters..I haven't had any experience with them.

Beware that they don't contain chocolate.  I don't know how Chocolate

would interact with Crabs.

 

I got some peanut butter anyway, seemed smart, as you said that would work well. 

 

And working it does!!! 

This morning I found him near the cave, where he was eating his old claw. 

 

When I just got home from school, I found him in the hiding place he used before. 

 

 

And when I got him a bit of honey and peanut butter, he even came out of hiding! Men, does he like it! 

 

You can also clearly see here that he got his claw back. It isnt as big as the other one yet, but he is using it well! 

[Astinus]

That's awesome Lisa

I have kept and keep Land Hermit Crabs.

Some other offerings u can add to his diet.

Bone Marrow from either chicken or Turkey.

U can also, of course, offer shrimp/fish.

Crabs, by nature, are scavengers.  I know my Hermits like fruit, u may try that with him as well.

[Lisa166]

Not sure if this will work, its a link to a short movie of the cutey eating

1 minute ago, Astinus said:

That's awesome Lisa

I have kept and keep Land Hermit Crabs.

Some other offerings u can add to his diet.

Bone Marrow from either chicken or Turkey.

U can also, of course, offer shrimp/fish.

Crabs, by nature, are scavengers.  I know my Hermits like fruit, u may try that with him as well.

Thanks! How often did you feed them that kind of stuff? So far I have just been feeding him salmon and algea flakes. Although the algae flakes are mostly left alone. 

[Astinus]

NICE!  He is going at it with Gusto!  Great job!

[Astinus]

3 minutes ago, Lisa166 said:

Not sure if this will work, its a link to a short movie of the cutey eating

Thanks! How often did you feed them that kind of stuff? So far I have just been feeding him salmon and algea flakes. Although the algae flakes are mostly left alone. 

The Vid Works

I would offer those food stuffs and let them stay for 2 days?  Then I would replace.  Offering a different food item.

Have u Googled that type of Crab U think Houdini is?  U might find info regarding The Algae flakes.  U can also offer "Fish" Flakes.

[Lisa166]

37 minutes ago, Astinus said:

The Vid Works

I would offer those food stuffs and let them stay for 2 days?  Then I would replace.  Offering a different food item.

Have u Googled that type of Crab U think Houdini is?  U might find info regarding The Algae flakes.  U can also offer "Fish" Flakes.

We think he is a marble crab (metasesarma obesum), but there is very little information about keeping them. I only found a few german information sites, but it is mostly just general information. And besides that, it all seems to differ. Some say he needs salt water, others say brackish. Others say you need to provide both brackish and FW (which I am doing now). So there is a lot of different opinions on this. 

Concerning the food and molting process, I have not been able to find any real info about this species. So I have mostly been using general information I found, combined with information about other semi-marine species (most can be found about Hermits), and am trying to go from there. So far, so good. 

 

I will try some different things in the future, trying fruit, veggies, and some other fish types, maybe even chicken, can't hurt I guess. But I will try looking into hermit feeding specifics some more as well. 

 

 

 

I haven't done anything on the scape in the big tank yet. Lets just say it was a long day at school.. 

[Astinus]

I was a Moderator on this Forum..U can find food and a Lot of other helpful/useful info here

As for Hermits and Marine, Brackish and FW.  I Provide Marine water in 1 Dish and FW in a separate, this is to allow the Hermit

to adjust it's "Shell" Water.  Hermits are Different of course, but, U will find some good info here.

 

http://www.hermitcrabassociation.com/phpBB/index.php

[Lisa166]

On my way to my student room now, we are going to take the tanks to my parents house. Lots of nerves for the sudden move (I didnt plan to do it untill after june). But hey, there is only rock in there,'and its just a 40 min drive. So it should be fine

[Lisa166]

The move went well (so far), and most of the life seems to have survived. Will do a param check again tomorrow and will go from there. 

 

Houdini seems okay as well, luckily, he is still white, but i think that is still post molting stuff right? The sand from his old tank stank like hell, so we changed out all the sand and I made sure to keep all the water in plastic boxes now. They might be replaced for reptile water bowls sometime, when I have moneys. 

 

Moving box with sand

Notice his two claws and his whiteness

His right claw is still smaller then the left one, but, it is there and he is using it!!

 

 

 

Feather is still looking pretty! 

 

 

We have measured the params before the move, and used about half of that water (could not take more with the jerrycans I had), 

Parameters:

Nh3: 0.25

No2: 0 (that's a first!!)

No3: 0.25-0.5

 

The rocks were moved in a coolbox, and after the move I took the liberty to smash one of them in order to help with the scape. I haven't yet been able to make a good picture, but it is definitely and improvement, and it went better then i thought. 

 

 

For now, the plan is to keep the lights running as before the move. Keep aj eye on water parameters and act accordingly. Work on the scape, and add bacteria twice a week (petshop told me it'd be good to do so, since my ammonia doesnt decrease fast enough when there is some. It keeps hanging at 0.25 when I did something in the tank). 

[Astinus]

Houdini is looking good.   His next Molt and the Claw will be bigger