hermit crab

[nedge85]

Any1 ever kept them? Going to pick some up in morning

 

[LyndaB]

Do you have your habitat set up? This might help:

How to Create the Ideal Hermit Crab Habitats

 

[adeebm]

I used to keep some a few years ago. They're fairly easy, as long as you have a good substrate, high humidity, both fresh and salt water, and proper foods. A lot of commercial hermit crab food is actually toxic to them( has ethoxyquin). If you go to www.hermitcrabassociation.com, you'll find all the info you need

--Adeeb

 

[nedge85]

Im talking fresh water hermits, both adviced pages seem to discuss land living hermits

 

[LyndaB]

I believe that the only fully aquatic hermit crabs are marine.

 

[nedge85]

They are aquatic hermit crabs, freshwater!

 

[adeebm]

It's probably not a hermit crab then. There are land dwelling hermit crabs and marine hermits. Perhaps you're looking at a fiddler crab or another aquatic crab.

EDIT: apparently there is one(or a few) species of hermits sometimes found on freshwater, but they are certainly not available to the hobby.

--Adeeb

 

[nedge85]

My lfs had the delivery today, they sell hermits in there marine section all the time, but these were a new one to them.
looks and size exactly the same, but they ARE freshwater

 

[adeebm]

They must be mistaken, it's highly unlikely that they have true freshwater hermits. Scientific name and pics?

--Adeeb

 

[nedge85]

It is possible for land dwelling hermit crabs to live in fresh/brackish water. The young are reered in water and can adapt to live there permernantly ( cited on numorous website )

 

[adeebm]

It is possible for land dwelling hermit crabs to live in fresh/brackish water. The young are reered in water and can adapt to live there permernantly ( cited on numorous website )

The larval form of land hermit crabs matures in the ocean, and proceeds to land. Adults land hermits cannot adapt to live in water. What site did you get that from? There are a few other species of hermit crabs that live in low end brackish/freshwater environments, but i have never heard of them in the pet trade. If your LFS did have a true freshwater species, that would be pretty amazing.

--Adeeb

 

[nedge85]

I saw them today, fully submerged in fresh water. Living perfectly fine, group of 6 of them in a tank with guppies. If anyone wishes to check them out, or question the shop its Jaydee Aquatics, wrexham (email and number online)

 

[LyndaB]

Are you basing the fact that they are completely submersible freshwater because they are being kept that way at the store? If so, not necessarily a wise thing to do. One of my local chain stores keeps non-aquatic as aquatic. Just because they do it, doesn't mean that it works long-term for the species.

 

[adeebm]

Can you get a pic? I would be interested to see what they are calling FW hermits.

--Adeeb

 

[Sharkbait54]

They are probably fiddler crabs, they can live for a while fully submerged but the fact of the matter is they need land to dry off. And they are brackish or so I've heard when they get older.

My lfs had them fully submerged but you really do your own research.