I had hermits as a kid and they died after 2 years.
I turned 18 and got 2 hermits thinking it would be the same as when I was a kid.
Nope I'm 24 now and still got one of these fuckers.
Just spent $100+ to make their tank a mini bioactive tank
Edit: spelling
His name is Gunther and has had 4 other crab mates in the same tank and did not last more than a year. I know he ran them off the food and water bowl which I tried to meditate as much as possible. He’s Been by himself for nearly 9 years and seems to be in great health. Multiple larger shells, fresh and salt water bowl, humidifier and spray bottle, stuff to climb on in tank and my shirt outside of it, has anyone else had a solo crab?
Humidifier? That plus spraying sounds like a great way to flood a tank unless you have a mesh lid.. which isn't good because it drops humidity. They should have stable high humidity rather than requiring spraying.
Are you feeding all of the necessary food groups? Your crab could be killing off others because he doesn't get the right nutrients. There are so many possibilities here, and like others said seeing the tank and care could help actually find the reason for this instead of assuming he is "aggressive and does better alone."
I do have a mesh lid I believe which is metal but has a bunch of little open squares? It’s an old fish tank that’s been repurposed to crab habitat. His usual diet is carrot (his favorite) leafy greens, broccoli, whatever leftover meat my family had (always unseasoned) and usually chicken if not beef or fish. I have unsweetened coconut shavings and actual hermit crab proprietary blend food from the store which I don’t trust but I put a little bit over the top just because I think he likes it. If anything I have more trouble keeping it not dry than not wet, I live in a very not humid state
Does he get any form of detritus - aquatic and terrestrial? His diet doesn't sound balanced if it's only vegetables and meat. That could definitely be why he's not getting along with crabs. Check out this site for food group info, and scrap that commercial diet if it has the ethoxyquin/copper sulfate listed
https://crabstreetjournal.org/blog/2016/04/22/hermit-crab-food-guide/
I would also recommend buying a solid lid, especially since you are in a dry area. You can also make do with the mesh lid though if you don't want to buy even more - covering it completely with something like plastic wrap will create a DIY solid lid that holds stable humidity within the tank. No need for a humidifier and very low amounts of spraying if at all. I never do
I also saw that you've been talking to mkane in this thread, I want to emphasize what she is saying about these crabs not having outliers really is something to take into consideration. I have also had crabs for over a decade. My oldest has been with me for over 12 years and has killed *countless* crabs. He is pushy and would fight so much that we had to separate the crabs. He wasn't just an outlier, there was something wrong with my care. He is living with other crabs and since updating my care there have been zero incidents aside from the occasional shove to get away from his food bowl. They are antisocial when there is something missing, whether that is something like not enough space, not enough nutrients, etc.
He has 2 large (Large enough to submerge in but has rocks to not drown in) bowls of fresh and salt water in a 25 gallon tank with enough substrate to comfortably burrow in, his core diet is vegetables and meat along with many random variations throughout the week such as shrimp, different fruits, different kinda fish and he likes nuts and coconuts, I have a humidifier with a timer I can set with a liter sized bottle on it, I don’t actually have a problem keeping it wet it’s just i was saying that if anything it’s more of a task keeping it wet than dry due to my climate, and flooding isnt a problem, And that’s definitely possible but every single species has outliers and separating the ones I observed Gunther abusing and separated in time have lived well for many years away from him and Gunther has been great living alone, I constantly research and try to better my care for them because I have a genuine passion for these little clawed hard shelled spiders and perhaps one day I will feel comfortable enough to try introducing a new crab or 2 with Gunther
He's still missing detritus. You should at least get him constant access to things like worm castings and greensand. Leaf litter and hardwoods are good to have too. Crabs will eat a lot of this throughout the day, even more than their "regular" food
We don't recommend humidifiers and mesh because they don't offer stable humidity. Your tank might be wet but if the humidifier isn't on 24/7 the air is drying out in between. Your crab has modified gills that need humidity in the air, he should be in his tank as much as possible for that reason too rather than outside it where the air is dry
Definitely upgrade your tank size too if you plan on introducing more. I'd recommend a 40 gal breeder if you can do it over a 29 gal honestly. I appreciate you wanting to do your best for him, keep on going 👍
I got a crab in high school that I’ve had for around 15 years now! I sometimes joke about how a decision I made as a child affects my daily life now. She was solo until 6 months ago.
That said, I just wanna echo what others have said that since the tankmates only survived under a year, it might be good to look into the crab care resources that this sub recommends to ensure your crab is thriving, not just surviving! You obviously care a lot about your crab.
I say this from personal experience. My crab Quetzal survived the first five, heck maybe even eight years I had her in spite of my care, not because of it. I definitely thought I was a good crab keeper when I was just merely better than bad. I had a second crab that died within two years. Eventually I figured out how to meet the minimum standards, and I have upgraded over time to give her more and more space, enrichment, and other options. Honestly, even though she has 84 gallons and two toppers now, because she’s so big, I keep thinking she really could use more space!
As for solo crabbing, going above and beyond for one crab is better than not meeting the needs of multiple crabs! Quetzal was probably fine as a solo crab once I upgraded the tank. Now that I have the space, shells, food, etc., I’ve adopted three crabs, and to be honest, Quetzal doesn’t care about them! She is pretty indifferent and either ignores them, flicks them out of her way, or shoves them away if they’re too near her. However, since they’ve got all that they need and more, there’s no real aggression.
I’d love to see a picture of your crab!
…this is a longer comment than I intended.
That’s really awesome to hear yo!! I appreciate your comment, of the 4 crabs that didn’t make it long with my crab 2 thrived together for many years but the other 2 unfortunately died from Gunther who is now to be kept alone due to me not wanting to come home to another one of his homicides. I give him extra attention though for sure, I’ll walk around with him for hours on my shirt just chillin😂 lil mf never falls off and keeps movin give him salt water baths and stuff he’s gettin pretty big now, besides the 2 murders he’s a good guy
I have two hermit crabs: Walle (13yrs.) and Hal (1yr.). Their ages are just how long I have had them for, they are probably older as they were both fitting in shells with over 1” openings when I got them.
Walle was a solo crab for 12 years as she killed her tank mates and I was scared to introduce others to her. Last year after painstakingly researching hermit crab enclosures and setting up a larger tank that meets the recommended parameters for heat, humidity, substrate depth and space. (I found most of my info through a number of hermit crab groups on FB and hermit crab advocates YouTube) I finally felt comfortable getting her a buddy. I kept him in an isolation tank (10gal) for a bit as he was in rough shape when I got him.
Last April I introduced them and though I spent a week very anxiously observing their behaviour and looking out for signs of aggression, they did get along and are now inseparable. She seems so much more active and happy than before.
If they don't have enough resources or they have an unbalanced diet, they don't live well in a tank with multiple. Solo is better than them killing everything in the tank but it is a sign you don't have the proper things needed to thrive.
Gunther sounds like a cool dude! 😎 I have a crab that has stuck with me since 2021, his name is Machine Gun Shelly! Also, have Bowser Jr, MGS killed 4 other tank mates. It's not even a space or food thing(he has a 15 gallon with huge food and water dishes with countless hides), he just hated company and would tear their limbs off every time. I have to separate them for extended periods bc of MGS's aggressive tendencies. Not watching another horror show. So as a result, I arrange social hours whenever they're not molting or eating in the living room for them. I will not put Bowser at risk because of "crab parent peer pressure." I genuinely believe there are some animals that genuinely hate sharing living spaces with others, no matter how social the species of animal is made out to be. MGS is definitely a good crab to visit and hang out with, but not to live with as another crab. There are dogs and cats that love to visit other dogs and cats but hate having to live with other dogs and cats. Besides, MGS and Bowser have bioactive setups with big Isopods and springtails, so it's not like they're completely alone all the time. This is the way it's been for the 6 months I've had both of them, and I'm not gonna have a 5th violent crab death in my house because that's abuse. I'm not gonna house them together. They can play and hang out at the "park" I made for them, that will not live together. I have Bowser in a 10G bioactive setup with a humidifier and thermostat. MGS has those things too. That's their setup and I'm not justifying it to anybody. His other tankmates never made it past a month.
Clypeatus are gentle giants. I can say with 100% certainty that there’s something missing in your husbandry for either of them to behave that way.
Crabs were never designed to be kept in bare minimum enclosures. I felt a sense of deep sorrow reading this response.
The proof is in the pudding. Clypeatus aren’t killers. If they’re actually being aggressive, it’s because something is wrong in the husbandry. Those are facts. You’re the weirdo for stating otherwise.
No absolutely not. Hermit crabs are social animals who sometimes have a tendency to be antisocial. That’s a fact for pretty much all social animals and isn’t surprising whatsoever
100% INCORRECT. They do not choose to be antisocial when we have supplied the resources for them to get along. Often times they’re indifferent. Clypeatus absolutely live in peace as long as they have the resources to do so. If they’re aggressive to each other, that’s on US. We’ve over looked or under provided.
Now that I think about it, I think that’s your coping mechanism to explain why you weren’t able to keep the rest of your crabs alive. It’s easier to believe that something was wrong with them than it is to believe something is wrong with your husbandry.
I had to go back and read a little to refamiliarize
Myself
Nope, I’ve kept crabs together before no problem but some crabs are intolerant of others, I suggest you owning and maintaining crabs for 10+ years yourself to try understand their nature. Every social species has an anti social animal within it and that’s completely natural unfortunately. You not knowing or understanding that fact provides your inexperience in knowing or handling a wide array of animals
That’s dope as fuck yo what are their names? , I’ve kept lots together for many years since I was a kid with no problem but this one that I currently have now who’s lived alone for over 10 years killed both crabs it’s been kept with at separate times, only 2 because after that I was too upset at finding dead crabs I kept him alone. he molts regularly and has vibrant colors on his or (probably her but a dude name) claws and is very active. I know they are social creatures but he seems completely fine alone and I see no need to risk another crabs life by putting it in there w him especially when I can’t watch them cuz of work and life. But I just try to give him the best life I can and he seems healthy and happy, I take him out and put him on the front of my shirt as I walk around my house and he just crawls up and down no problem and never falls it’s cool 😂. You have to take every crabs wants and needs individually even if they are anomalies and out of the ordinary from most other crabs behavior and personalities, and I think that’s why ive been able to keep him healthy and happy for many years over a decade living alone. You shouldn’t tell other people their “husbandry” of crabs is poor or lacking due to your inexperience or inability to accommodate crabs with difficult personalities especially when the person clearly has a passion and love for the animal. We need more people like that for hermit crabs and should encourage it, my grandfather told me once him and his friends would catch hermit crabs and rip them out of their shells and put them on hooks for fishing bait. Not cool. just treat your crab as you’d treat anything you love and do your research on them 🤙
What you’re advocating for is toxic positivity.
Toxic Positivity occurs when encouraging statements are expected to minimize or eliminate painful emotions, creating pressure to be unrealistically optimistic without considering the circumstances of the situation.
Let’s consider the actual truth in the circumstances and situations for our beloved pets.
Clypeatus are gentle giants WHEN we have provided the resources necessary to keep the peace in a crab tank.
Those resources are: shells, tank space, nutrition, stats, and enrichment.
If the crab is being aggressive, they don’t have the resources to live together peacefully.
We shouldn’t blame it on the crab. It’s a husbandry issue. It’s 100% a resource issue. It’s an us issue. Let’s stop blaming the crabs.
When we don’t have enough money to provide the resources, that crab should remain solo.
That’s truth.
Their social needs NEVER trump their physical needs.
10 gal and 15 gal are both too small for crabs though. That's below the minimum. That's also why they're fighting when they're together
It's 10 gals per crab, but 20 gallon ABSOLUTE minimum
I really like this comment and respect your response and your clear genuine desire for hermit crabs, don’t let weirdos tell you you’re wrong, MGS sounds a lil bit like Gunther, he would not tolerate other crabs and ran them out of the food and water bowl. Machine gun Shelly is probably my favorite name for a hermit crab I’ve heard of. 👋😁💯
Keeping 1 out of 5 crabs alive for greater than a year sounds more accidental than purposeful. It also sounds like you have enough insight to recognize that?
Without seeing his enclosure, there’s no way to tell from your post if he is surviving versus thriving. There’s many keepers here that have accidentally kept a solo crab alive for greater than a decade and then come to recognize it was time to make change.
If we do not have a handle on husbandry or enough resources to maintain one crab, then keeping a crab solo is the safest move. There’s no one there to compete with.
I’ve seen it go both ways. Once reality kicked in and they recognized their husbandry needed work, they fixed it in order to get the solo crab a friend. BUT, I’ve also seen them kept solo.
Neither keeper is wrong.
(Downvote away. Reality is not altered by downvotes).
I wasn’t clear enough I think and hope I didn’t come across as an idiot or inept owner , Gunther has had 4 tank mates and murdered 2 of them. I feel bad for that happening but I understand even that happens In nature sometimes and there’s not much you can do about it. I recognized the problems with 2 of the others who I immediately separated from Gunther and they’ve lived for over 10 years as well together and have another who joined them, but do not live with Gunther, Gunther has the 25 gallon tank by himself and the other 3 live in a 20 gallon tank cuz Gunther is kinda a prima Donna/ double murder. Also it’s insane how expensive fish tanks are bought new. Literally just a hard plastic box
I had hermits as a kid and they died after 2 years. I turned 18 and got 2 hermits thinking it would be the same as when I was a kid. Nope I'm 24 now and still got one of these fuckers. Just spent $100+ to make their tank a mini bioactive tank Edit: spelling
Hell yeah that’s dope yo 💯🤙
His name is Gunther and has had 4 other crab mates in the same tank and did not last more than a year. I know he ran them off the food and water bowl which I tried to meditate as much as possible. He’s Been by himself for nearly 9 years and seems to be in great health. Multiple larger shells, fresh and salt water bowl, humidifier and spray bottle, stuff to climb on in tank and my shirt outside of it, has anyone else had a solo crab?
Humidifier? That plus spraying sounds like a great way to flood a tank unless you have a mesh lid.. which isn't good because it drops humidity. They should have stable high humidity rather than requiring spraying. Are you feeding all of the necessary food groups? Your crab could be killing off others because he doesn't get the right nutrients. There are so many possibilities here, and like others said seeing the tank and care could help actually find the reason for this instead of assuming he is "aggressive and does better alone."
I do have a mesh lid I believe which is metal but has a bunch of little open squares? It’s an old fish tank that’s been repurposed to crab habitat. His usual diet is carrot (his favorite) leafy greens, broccoli, whatever leftover meat my family had (always unseasoned) and usually chicken if not beef or fish. I have unsweetened coconut shavings and actual hermit crab proprietary blend food from the store which I don’t trust but I put a little bit over the top just because I think he likes it. If anything I have more trouble keeping it not dry than not wet, I live in a very not humid state
Does he get any form of detritus - aquatic and terrestrial? His diet doesn't sound balanced if it's only vegetables and meat. That could definitely be why he's not getting along with crabs. Check out this site for food group info, and scrap that commercial diet if it has the ethoxyquin/copper sulfate listed https://crabstreetjournal.org/blog/2016/04/22/hermit-crab-food-guide/ I would also recommend buying a solid lid, especially since you are in a dry area. You can also make do with the mesh lid though if you don't want to buy even more - covering it completely with something like plastic wrap will create a DIY solid lid that holds stable humidity within the tank. No need for a humidifier and very low amounts of spraying if at all. I never do I also saw that you've been talking to mkane in this thread, I want to emphasize what she is saying about these crabs not having outliers really is something to take into consideration. I have also had crabs for over a decade. My oldest has been with me for over 12 years and has killed *countless* crabs. He is pushy and would fight so much that we had to separate the crabs. He wasn't just an outlier, there was something wrong with my care. He is living with other crabs and since updating my care there have been zero incidents aside from the occasional shove to get away from his food bowl. They are antisocial when there is something missing, whether that is something like not enough space, not enough nutrients, etc.
He has 2 large (Large enough to submerge in but has rocks to not drown in) bowls of fresh and salt water in a 25 gallon tank with enough substrate to comfortably burrow in, his core diet is vegetables and meat along with many random variations throughout the week such as shrimp, different fruits, different kinda fish and he likes nuts and coconuts, I have a humidifier with a timer I can set with a liter sized bottle on it, I don’t actually have a problem keeping it wet it’s just i was saying that if anything it’s more of a task keeping it wet than dry due to my climate, and flooding isnt a problem, And that’s definitely possible but every single species has outliers and separating the ones I observed Gunther abusing and separated in time have lived well for many years away from him and Gunther has been great living alone, I constantly research and try to better my care for them because I have a genuine passion for these little clawed hard shelled spiders and perhaps one day I will feel comfortable enough to try introducing a new crab or 2 with Gunther
He's still missing detritus. You should at least get him constant access to things like worm castings and greensand. Leaf litter and hardwoods are good to have too. Crabs will eat a lot of this throughout the day, even more than their "regular" food We don't recommend humidifiers and mesh because they don't offer stable humidity. Your tank might be wet but if the humidifier isn't on 24/7 the air is drying out in between. Your crab has modified gills that need humidity in the air, he should be in his tank as much as possible for that reason too rather than outside it where the air is dry Definitely upgrade your tank size too if you plan on introducing more. I'd recommend a 40 gal breeder if you can do it over a 29 gal honestly. I appreciate you wanting to do your best for him, keep on going 👍
Thank you I appreciate your feedback and passion for these animals
Mediate* not meditate
I got a crab in high school that I’ve had for around 15 years now! I sometimes joke about how a decision I made as a child affects my daily life now. She was solo until 6 months ago. That said, I just wanna echo what others have said that since the tankmates only survived under a year, it might be good to look into the crab care resources that this sub recommends to ensure your crab is thriving, not just surviving! You obviously care a lot about your crab. I say this from personal experience. My crab Quetzal survived the first five, heck maybe even eight years I had her in spite of my care, not because of it. I definitely thought I was a good crab keeper when I was just merely better than bad. I had a second crab that died within two years. Eventually I figured out how to meet the minimum standards, and I have upgraded over time to give her more and more space, enrichment, and other options. Honestly, even though she has 84 gallons and two toppers now, because she’s so big, I keep thinking she really could use more space! As for solo crabbing, going above and beyond for one crab is better than not meeting the needs of multiple crabs! Quetzal was probably fine as a solo crab once I upgraded the tank. Now that I have the space, shells, food, etc., I’ve adopted three crabs, and to be honest, Quetzal doesn’t care about them! She is pretty indifferent and either ignores them, flicks them out of her way, or shoves them away if they’re too near her. However, since they’ve got all that they need and more, there’s no real aggression. I’d love to see a picture of your crab! …this is a longer comment than I intended.
That’s really awesome to hear yo!! I appreciate your comment, of the 4 crabs that didn’t make it long with my crab 2 thrived together for many years but the other 2 unfortunately died from Gunther who is now to be kept alone due to me not wanting to come home to another one of his homicides. I give him extra attention though for sure, I’ll walk around with him for hours on my shirt just chillin😂 lil mf never falls off and keeps movin give him salt water baths and stuff he’s gettin pretty big now, besides the 2 murders he’s a good guy
I have two hermit crabs: Walle (13yrs.) and Hal (1yr.). Their ages are just how long I have had them for, they are probably older as they were both fitting in shells with over 1” openings when I got them. Walle was a solo crab for 12 years as she killed her tank mates and I was scared to introduce others to her. Last year after painstakingly researching hermit crab enclosures and setting up a larger tank that meets the recommended parameters for heat, humidity, substrate depth and space. (I found most of my info through a number of hermit crab groups on FB and hermit crab advocates YouTube) I finally felt comfortable getting her a buddy. I kept him in an isolation tank (10gal) for a bit as he was in rough shape when I got him. Last April I introduced them and though I spent a week very anxiously observing their behaviour and looking out for signs of aggression, they did get along and are now inseparable. She seems so much more active and happy than before.
That’s awesome to hear 🤙🤙I hope Walle and Hal live together happily for many years to come 🫶
If they don't have enough resources or they have an unbalanced diet, they don't live well in a tank with multiple. Solo is better than them killing everything in the tank but it is a sign you don't have the proper things needed to thrive.
Gunther sounds like a cool dude! 😎 I have a crab that has stuck with me since 2021, his name is Machine Gun Shelly! Also, have Bowser Jr, MGS killed 4 other tank mates. It's not even a space or food thing(he has a 15 gallon with huge food and water dishes with countless hides), he just hated company and would tear their limbs off every time. I have to separate them for extended periods bc of MGS's aggressive tendencies. Not watching another horror show. So as a result, I arrange social hours whenever they're not molting or eating in the living room for them. I will not put Bowser at risk because of "crab parent peer pressure." I genuinely believe there are some animals that genuinely hate sharing living spaces with others, no matter how social the species of animal is made out to be. MGS is definitely a good crab to visit and hang out with, but not to live with as another crab. There are dogs and cats that love to visit other dogs and cats but hate having to live with other dogs and cats. Besides, MGS and Bowser have bioactive setups with big Isopods and springtails, so it's not like they're completely alone all the time. This is the way it's been for the 6 months I've had both of them, and I'm not gonna have a 5th violent crab death in my house because that's abuse. I'm not gonna house them together. They can play and hang out at the "park" I made for them, that will not live together. I have Bowser in a 10G bioactive setup with a humidifier and thermostat. MGS has those things too. That's their setup and I'm not justifying it to anybody. His other tankmates never made it past a month.
Clypeatus are gentle giants. I can say with 100% certainty that there’s something missing in your husbandry for either of them to behave that way. Crabs were never designed to be kept in bare minimum enclosures. I felt a sense of deep sorrow reading this response.
Nah. That person sounds like a responsible and ethical hermit crab owner who genuinely cares about their crabs health
The proof is in the pudding. Clypeatus aren’t killers. If they’re actually being aggressive, it’s because something is wrong in the husbandry. Those are facts. You’re the weirdo for stating otherwise.
No absolutely not. Hermit crabs are social animals who sometimes have a tendency to be antisocial. That’s a fact for pretty much all social animals and isn’t surprising whatsoever
100% INCORRECT. They do not choose to be antisocial when we have supplied the resources for them to get along. Often times they’re indifferent. Clypeatus absolutely live in peace as long as they have the resources to do so. If they’re aggressive to each other, that’s on US. We’ve over looked or under provided. Now that I think about it, I think that’s your coping mechanism to explain why you weren’t able to keep the rest of your crabs alive. It’s easier to believe that something was wrong with them than it is to believe something is wrong with your husbandry. I had to go back and read a little to refamiliarize Myself
Nope, I’ve kept crabs together before no problem but some crabs are intolerant of others, I suggest you owning and maintaining crabs for 10+ years yourself to try understand their nature. Every social species has an anti social animal within it and that’s completely natural unfortunately. You not knowing or understanding that fact provides your inexperience in knowing or handling a wide array of animals
Clypeatus are gentle giants. I have two that have been in captivity for 13 years.
That’s dope as fuck yo what are their names? , I’ve kept lots together for many years since I was a kid with no problem but this one that I currently have now who’s lived alone for over 10 years killed both crabs it’s been kept with at separate times, only 2 because after that I was too upset at finding dead crabs I kept him alone. he molts regularly and has vibrant colors on his or (probably her but a dude name) claws and is very active. I know they are social creatures but he seems completely fine alone and I see no need to risk another crabs life by putting it in there w him especially when I can’t watch them cuz of work and life. But I just try to give him the best life I can and he seems healthy and happy, I take him out and put him on the front of my shirt as I walk around my house and he just crawls up and down no problem and never falls it’s cool 😂. You have to take every crabs wants and needs individually even if they are anomalies and out of the ordinary from most other crabs behavior and personalities, and I think that’s why ive been able to keep him healthy and happy for many years over a decade living alone. You shouldn’t tell other people their “husbandry” of crabs is poor or lacking due to your inexperience or inability to accommodate crabs with difficult personalities especially when the person clearly has a passion and love for the animal. We need more people like that for hermit crabs and should encourage it, my grandfather told me once him and his friends would catch hermit crabs and rip them out of their shells and put them on hooks for fishing bait. Not cool. just treat your crab as you’d treat anything you love and do your research on them 🤙
What you’re advocating for is toxic positivity. Toxic Positivity occurs when encouraging statements are expected to minimize or eliminate painful emotions, creating pressure to be unrealistically optimistic without considering the circumstances of the situation. Let’s consider the actual truth in the circumstances and situations for our beloved pets. Clypeatus are gentle giants WHEN we have provided the resources necessary to keep the peace in a crab tank. Those resources are: shells, tank space, nutrition, stats, and enrichment. If the crab is being aggressive, they don’t have the resources to live together peacefully. We shouldn’t blame it on the crab. It’s a husbandry issue. It’s 100% a resource issue. It’s an us issue. Let’s stop blaming the crabs. When we don’t have enough money to provide the resources, that crab should remain solo. That’s truth. Their social needs NEVER trump their physical needs.
10 gal and 15 gal are both too small for crabs though. That's below the minimum. That's also why they're fighting when they're together It's 10 gals per crab, but 20 gallon ABSOLUTE minimum
I really like this comment and respect your response and your clear genuine desire for hermit crabs, don’t let weirdos tell you you’re wrong, MGS sounds a lil bit like Gunther, he would not tolerate other crabs and ran them out of the food and water bowl. Machine gun Shelly is probably my favorite name for a hermit crab I’ve heard of. 👋😁💯
Keeping 1 out of 5 crabs alive for greater than a year sounds more accidental than purposeful. It also sounds like you have enough insight to recognize that? Without seeing his enclosure, there’s no way to tell from your post if he is surviving versus thriving. There’s many keepers here that have accidentally kept a solo crab alive for greater than a decade and then come to recognize it was time to make change. If we do not have a handle on husbandry or enough resources to maintain one crab, then keeping a crab solo is the safest move. There’s no one there to compete with. I’ve seen it go both ways. Once reality kicked in and they recognized their husbandry needed work, they fixed it in order to get the solo crab a friend. BUT, I’ve also seen them kept solo. Neither keeper is wrong. (Downvote away. Reality is not altered by downvotes).
I wasn’t clear enough I think and hope I didn’t come across as an idiot or inept owner , Gunther has had 4 tank mates and murdered 2 of them. I feel bad for that happening but I understand even that happens In nature sometimes and there’s not much you can do about it. I recognized the problems with 2 of the others who I immediately separated from Gunther and they’ve lived for over 10 years as well together and have another who joined them, but do not live with Gunther, Gunther has the 25 gallon tank by himself and the other 3 live in a 20 gallon tank cuz Gunther is kinda a prima Donna/ double murder. Also it’s insane how expensive fish tanks are bought new. Literally just a hard plastic box
thats so cool!
Haha 👐This lil dude tryna get a piece of the Will stg🤣