Questionwell, I have been researching all over the web, and finding it actually pretty hard to find information on hermit crabs >.< I can't get my questions answered very clearly.
I'm 15 and have had ALOT of pet experince. (but none on crabs)
I want a very small species sense my mom is picky with my pets, lol. What kind is good for beginners and stays pretty small its whole life? (and how long will it live?) what gallon tank should I get? What sex is better for beginners? I'm sure I can only get one sadly. Will it be more stressed if it has no tank-mates?
I plan to buy it from the pet store like Petco. once I get it I plan to offer it NOT painted shells. or maybe they have some healthy crabs moving around that aren't painted. painted shells just don't seem healthy.
ok I think thats everything. lol. Thanks in advance
AnswerHi Jenne,
First, there are several good crab sites out there. I, most often frequent www.crabstreetjournal.com and its' forum and I have my own website that has a lot of care info at www.naturallycrabby.com
Let me try to answer your questions, please let me know if I miss anything.
Species - Your best bet is either Ecuadorian or Rugosus. Ecuadorian are the most outgoing, active and social and don't exceed golfball size. It is also hearty enough for a beginer.
It really needs to have at least one buddy. Crabs live in colonies in the wild and need companionship. Lone crabs often withdraw and have a higher mortality rate. The good news is that 2 ecuadorians would fit really comfortable in a small tank without it being too crowded.
Crabs can live for up to 30 years in the wild. There is a 30 year old pair in captivity at Carol of Crabworks but what we are seeing now, with proper care, a crab can happily live for years in your tank.
As for tank size. Start with a 10 at least. I recommend 20 because all new crabbers seem to want to upgrade early on and a 20 gallon is a comforable size. But 2 ecuadorians would fit nicely in a 10 gallon.
As for sex, we haven't seen any appreciable difference in behavior, and I've yet to meet a crab merchant who knew how to sex a crab, let alone demonstrated it to me in the store.
Painted shells ARE terrible for a crab, as much for the methods they us to get crabs into shells as the harmful problems with the paint itself.
Hope I answered everything. Please let me know if I missed something.
Michelle
