I have 4 hermit crabs of varying sizes that I just bought not too long ago. They are in a 10 gallon and Im looking to upgrade the tank size. How large of a tank do I need for 4 hermit crabs and the accessories? Would a 15 gallon work?
Hermit crabs
- Thread starter J.huff23
- Start date
Tongue Flicker
Arachnobaron
- Joined
- Jan 26, 2014
- Messages
- 462
What crab sizes are we talking about here? A 15 gal is suffice as long as you put 2nd levels/platforms/climbing places for your crabs
ShredderEmp
Arachnoprince
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2012
- Messages
- 1,769
- Joined
- May 1, 2004
- Messages
- 2,290
Friendly reminder that hermit crabs are INVERTEBRATES, and this is the "Not So Spineless Wonders" forum, for discussing, you know...vertebrates.
pitbulllady
pitbulllady
pyro fiend
Arachnoprince
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2013
- Messages
- 1,216
pitbull lady beat me to it...
however a 15 is typically a 10 for floor space. the next size up in floor space would be a 20 high typically [not much extra] 20 breeder [rare finds around my parts] would be nice if you have the space or even a 20 long/29g [same floor plan] all depends if you want to go overkill, "as small as possible" or just a comfortable size. iv never had them but i remember somewhere most people recomend a 10-20 depending on how many you have. but i know somone with 3 crabs. in a 40g breeder [many food and water dishes] so kinda up to you in a way.. theirs is alot of display a fake beach scene but enough room for the crabs.. but others just use a 10g or a sterilite.
however a 15 is typically a 10 for floor space. the next size up in floor space would be a 20 high typically [not much extra] 20 breeder [rare finds around my parts] would be nice if you have the space or even a 20 long/29g [same floor plan] all depends if you want to go overkill, "as small as possible" or just a comfortable size. iv never had them but i remember somewhere most people recomend a 10-20 depending on how many you have. but i know somone with 3 crabs. in a 40g breeder [many food and water dishes] so kinda up to you in a way.. theirs is alot of display a fake beach scene but enough room for the crabs.. but others just use a 10g or a sterilite.
This would be super if I had a question about substrate but that wasnt my question. I had a question on the size of the tank required, and I did not see that anywhere in the link that you provided.
---------- Post added 02-24-2014 at 01:47 AM ----------
Thank you for a helpful and informative post. So I suppose that it is just a judgement call. Thanks everybody.
P.s. I will be sure to post elsewhere next time.
Thanks guys!
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2010
- Messages
- 4,401
I absolutely love hermit crabs. However i cannot keep them alive for anything. I used to set them up like the pet stores do, being i didnt know enough about them. Recently i had one that i setup alot better with cork bark to climb on, coco fiber to dig around in, and plenty of humidity. Well of course he wouldnt eat at all, and died. So that was more than likely the last one i will ever own.
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2007
- Messages
- 534
I'm somewhat of an expert on HC's and I keep close to 40 split up among 4 different species.
Minimum tank size is a 20 Long, but best would be a 40 breeder tank.
What they will need:
-minimum of 4-6 inches of substrate (either cocohusk or sand----if sand pour water in it till it's sand castle consistancy)
-2 water bowls, one fresh, and one salt (i would recommend instant ocean, do not use table salt or conditioning salt)
-lots of things to climb
-diet consists of fresh or dehydrated fruits, veggies, nuts, freeze dried shrimp/krill
-a cuttlebone to replenish calcium post molt
-72-82 degrees constant
-75-80% humidity
New crabs will typically burrow down for a one or two months. They do this for 2 reasons. First, they have spent so much time in transit from the wild to us that they weren't able to molt, so that is usually a top priority when introduced to a suitable setup. Second, they are extremely sensitive and intelligent creatures and need to de-stress because, again, the transit is BRUTAL on them.
For finer tips I would need to know what species you have.
If their eyes are circular and their big pincher is purple you most likely have a PP (purple pincher) from Florida
If they have rice shaped eyes that are parallel- likely a ecuadorian
Rice shaped eyes that point in like a V plus rust colored feelers then it's a Ruggie
if it literally looks like a strawberry (all red color and black pits that look like the seeds on a strawberry) then u have the famed C. perlatus or strawberry hermit crab
email me at mrbonzai211@gmail.com if you have any questions... hermit crabs are very difficult to keep and should live 10-20 years in captivity. ALL of them are wild caught because breeding is just not possible, and in the wild they are speculated to live 40-60 years.
Minimum tank size is a 20 Long, but best would be a 40 breeder tank.
What they will need:
-minimum of 4-6 inches of substrate (either cocohusk or sand----if sand pour water in it till it's sand castle consistancy)
-2 water bowls, one fresh, and one salt (i would recommend instant ocean, do not use table salt or conditioning salt)
-lots of things to climb
-diet consists of fresh or dehydrated fruits, veggies, nuts, freeze dried shrimp/krill
-a cuttlebone to replenish calcium post molt
-72-82 degrees constant
-75-80% humidity
New crabs will typically burrow down for a one or two months. They do this for 2 reasons. First, they have spent so much time in transit from the wild to us that they weren't able to molt, so that is usually a top priority when introduced to a suitable setup. Second, they are extremely sensitive and intelligent creatures and need to de-stress because, again, the transit is BRUTAL on them.
For finer tips I would need to know what species you have.
If their eyes are circular and their big pincher is purple you most likely have a PP (purple pincher) from Florida
If they have rice shaped eyes that are parallel- likely a ecuadorian
Rice shaped eyes that point in like a V plus rust colored feelers then it's a Ruggie
if it literally looks like a strawberry (all red color and black pits that look like the seeds on a strawberry) then u have the famed C. perlatus or strawberry hermit crab
email me at mrbonzai211@gmail.com if you have any questions... hermit crabs are very difficult to keep and should live 10-20 years in captivity. ALL of them are wild caught because breeding is just not possible, and in the wild they are speculated to live 40-60 years.
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2005
- Messages
- 430
Dear Bonzai,
People can't breed them in dry tanks.
Hermit crabs need ocean waters to breed because their babies are completely aquatic.
They HAVE to have fully salted sea water that HAS to be kept VERY clean without the use of an ordinary filter-which would probably kill such fragile infancy.
They may also need enough seashore space to permit a breeding group to gather.
And they may need environmental cues-like the arrival of seasonal rains,to name just one possibility.
Pity nobody seems to look into any of this-most people just leave them in dryland tanks where they can't breed.
Their needs are not being met.
But...If their needs were met...They would breed.
People can't breed them in dry tanks.
Hermit crabs need ocean waters to breed because their babies are completely aquatic.
They HAVE to have fully salted sea water that HAS to be kept VERY clean without the use of an ordinary filter-which would probably kill such fragile infancy.
They may also need enough seashore space to permit a breeding group to gather.
And they may need environmental cues-like the arrival of seasonal rains,to name just one possibility.
Pity nobody seems to look into any of this-most people just leave them in dryland tanks where they can't breed.
Their needs are not being met.
But...If their needs were met...They would breed.
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2007
- Messages
- 534
The style of tank is called a "40 gallon breeder." It's a wide bottomed tank that provides a lot of floor space. I'm very aware of their breeding habits lol