Crab Land Hermit - Trop XL

Land Hermit Crabs

The carapace or shell has a maximum length of about 1.6 in (40 mm). The hermit crab is either red or light brown in colour, with a few being paler sandy coloured. The front of the head of this species has two dark ovals. The crab also has long red or brown eyestalks. The claws are hairy and have dark vertical stripes, and the legs are covered in dark brown spots, with the species' abdomen being short and fat. In appearance, the species is similar to the Pacific hermit crab. They don't have a permanent shell and usually replace it with an empty shell from another sea mollusk or snail.

Hermit crabs tends to prefer the seashells Babylonia, Nerita, Phasianella, Thais, Tonna, and Turban. They are also known to enjoy the shells of various land snails, including the Aratan snail and the rice snail.

Hermit crabs are well-known for emitting pheromones, which are used to attract and locate other members. This chemical is primarily used by females during the breeding season. Hermit crabs are also known for rubbing specific body parts to produce sound, a process known as stridulation.

This species is commonly found on intertidal rocky shores, mangrove forests, and estuaries. It is also one of Australia's most popular crab pets. In Australia, the species is commonly referred to as a crazy crab.

The Australian land hermit crab (Coenobita variabilis) is a terrestrial hermit crab species found primarily in Australia. This species is only found in northern Australia, specifically northern Western Australia and northern Queensland. New Zealand is also home to the species.

Tank Recommendations for Land Hermit Crabs

Hermit crabs reach adult size in 2 years under ideal conditions, depending on species; increase the size of your hermit crab's habitat as it grows. A minimum of a 10-gallon (38 litre) tank is required for up to two hermit crabs. A tank with a top is recommended to prevent escape and maintain habitat humidity. To keep your hermit crabs from drying out or becoming cold, avoid placing the habitat in direct sunlight or in drafty areas.

Hermit crabs require humidity to keep their stiff gills moist, allowing them to breathe and molt. The most common cause of hermit crab death is suffocation due to a lack of humidity in the habitat. Maintain a humidity level of 70–90% by misting with dechlorinated water on a daily basis, as needed. Decorate with climbing décor (branches, logs, driftwood, lava rock, plastic plants, and coral) and hiding spots.

Use commercially available sand substrate (that has been washed, dried, and sterilized to ensure it is pathogen-free) mixed with commercially available coconut fiber bedding; sphagnum moss can also be included. To protect hermit crabs' fragile bodies when they dig and molt, the substrate should be at least 3 inches deep. Sand should be kept moist enough to adhere to one another but not dripping wet. Never use cedar or pine in a hermit crab habitat because the oil in the wood is irritating to the skin of hermit crabs.

A temperature gradient of 80°F(26.7 °C) at warm end and 70°F(21.1° C) at cool end is recommended; a low wattage incandescent bulb (appropriate for the size of the habitat) is recommended to provide light and some heat. To maintain a proper temperature gradient, an additional under-tank heater is usually required.

Always have two shallow, nonmetal dishes of water on hand for hermit crabs to climb into: one with fresh, dechlorinated water and one with marine saltwater with a specific gravity range of 1.021–1.026. All hermit crabs require saltwater to regulate their saline content. To prevent drowning, the water should be no deeper than 0.25-0.50 inches(0.64-1.27cm), depending on the size of the hermit crabs. To prevent drowning, a natural sponge should be placed in each dish to help crabs easily climb in and out; sponges should be changed on a regular basis to avoid bacterial and fungal growth.

Hermit crabs are nocturnal, so you can provide a low-wattage nocturnal bulb for viewing at night. A low-wattage bulb left on for 10–12 hours per day mimics natural light cycles, allowing hermit crabs to regulate their normal behaviors.

Suitable Tank Buddies

The Australian land hermit crab (Coenobita variabilis) is a gregarious or social creature that prefers to live in colonies. In the wild, the species not only forms groups with other crab species, but it also thrives with other animals. The terrestrial hermit crab is usually found in pairs during the breeding season. While it is recommended that they be housed in large tanks, they enjoy exploring the environment with other hermit crabs. They are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night.

Usually Compatible

Reef-dwelling hermit crabs thrive in the presence of small reef-dwelling fish. The land hermit crab does not need to be house with fish as this is likely to increase the chance of them drowning.

Sometime Compatible

Hermit crabs should be kept in groups of two or more, but different invertebrate species should not be kept together. Always keep an eye on groups of hermit crabs that are housed together for potential fighting and separate hermit crabs if they do.

Rarely Compatible

Theoretically, any species of marine hermit crab can coexist with fish. But, as always, there are caveats. The special requirements of both animals must be considered. You must ensure that the living conditions of different species are compatible, so in this case keeping just the land hermit crabs in the aquarium is recommended.

Feeding your Land Hermit Crab

These hermit crabs are omnivores, with planktonic larvae being their most common diet in the wild, but they are natural scavengers. In captivity, they are frequently fed pieces of meat and raw vegetables.

A well-balanced hermit crab diet should include calcium supplements (such as crushed cuttlebone) can aid in the hardening of their exoskeleton. In smaller amounts, vegetables (such as spinach, carrots, kale, and romaine lettuce) and non-citrus fruits (such as mangoes, coconut, and papaya) Carotene-rich vegetables (such as carrots and untreated marigold flower petals) aid in the development of a normal, reddish-orange exoskeleton. Finally, a few treats include nuts, seaweed, brine shrimp, and fish flakes