Do saltwater hermit crabs have to be completely submerged in water??how do you care for a salwater hermit crab

Answer 1

I have 6 hermit crabs in my salt water tank. There are 2 blue legs, one red leg, one scarlet leg, one zebra leg and one blue knee. The zebra leg does climb up the pump to the top of the tank, but the rest stay submerged 24/7. They are the scavengers in my tank and eat left over food, algae, and the occasional snail. I find them a lot of fun to watch especially since they cannot pass a shell without trying it out.
I do not do anything special for their care, other then provide them with empty shells but they are in a complete tank with other fish, crabs and live rock.
If you wanted to care for them alone, a goldfish bowl with a hunk of live rock and salt water mixed to a specific gravity of about 1.025 should be fine (some marine stores will sell pre-mixed water. Feed them frozen brine shrimp, change part of the water once a week and use only pure water to replace what has evaporated. An air pump would be a good idea to help keep the water moving and stop the growth of slime.

Answer 2

No actually Hermit crabs are genuinely land crabs. However they do need water to survive and NOT DRY OUT!
You do need to have a new and larger shell for them to MOVE to when they grow.


A hermit crab habitat MUST include several things, in order for them to have a chance at a long, healthy life.


A leaky aquarium (brand-new works just as good) is a good start for a "crab habitat"


The habitat must have a lid. Hermit crabs are excellent escape artists and should never be underestimated.
* The purpose of the lid is also to retain heat and moisture. (discussed in-depth later)


Unless you live in the tropics, your habitat also needs a heat rock or blacklight fixture to keep the night-time temperature above 60'F. (This is a MUST. If crabs are subjected to temperatures under 60', they might become dormant. They will probably live, but it is not good for them.)


The habitat shouldn't be placed in direct sunlight or next to/under an air vent. (You don't want baked crab or crab icicles.)


A habitat needs 1 or 2 inches of sand or aquarium gravel. (Sand is best. Something that works well and is inexpensive is "play sand". This is usually purchased at a hardware store. It should be screened and rinsed.) The level of sand is dependant upon the size of the largest crab in the habitat. All the crabs should be able to bury themselves fully, if they should choose to.
!!!!!! Note: DO NOT USE CEDAR / WOOD CHIPS! This can create a germ-breeding environment.
You can evaporate an amount of sea/salt water (from a pet store or beach) in the sand or gravel. This will allow the crabs to consume the minerals just as they would in the wild, by absorption. (more on salt/minerals later)


"FURNITURE" and "TOYS"
Climbing is part of the way of life for a land tree hermit crab. Places for the crabs to climb to are a necessity for the crabs' longevity, activity level, and appearance while in captivity.


* Reptile toys from the pet store are an excellent source of starter pieces and ideas. Play equipment layout is limited to your budget and imagination only. Be aware of the danger of a crab getting his shell caught and stuck in between items and the glass. Palm tree plants, hiding logs, rocks, vines, coral, plastic aquarium plants, and wood pieces are excellent items to look at for habitat use.
Never buy a crab who will NOT come out of the shell. Granted that crabs are shy, give them some time, put them in the water bowl, or just hold them for a few minutes. If the crab will not come out after you have been patient, there may be something wrong with it. At the very least, it will not be any fun to have as a pet if it never comes out!


Conversely, NEVER buy a crab who is never scared and never retreats into his shell. Most often, if a crab will not curl into his shell, he is sick or dying.


Look at crab fully, before you buy them. Check the crab for mites. Look at him as he comes out of the shell. Are there white or brown "grain"-looking bits on it? (that are not anything to do with the crab's coloring) DO NOT BUY ! ! ! If a crab is infested, the whole tank could be, and then yours will be. . . >>>


Hermit crabs need several things to survive:


HEAT (65' @ nighttime to 85' @ daytime)
The lid needs to retain heat and moisture as well as the climbing crab himself.


WATER (if the crab cannot absorb water, it will dry out and die of SUFFOCATION ! !)
The water container needs to be deep enough that the crab can nearly submerse himself if it should decide to take a bath.


HUMIDITY is included in the water section, as part of the breathing ability. A crab can't breathe with its gills if it is dry ! ! ! !


The crab requires a dry humid environment. This means that the sand should be dry, but there should be some humidity. This can be evaporating water from the water bowl or light spray misting of water on the sides of the habitat every day.

Answer 3

no