| Hermit crabs are amazing creatures. Several factors | | | | about the ideal alkalinity and the ideal specific gravity |
| make them amazing. Their simple act of carrying their | | | | conditions of the water. While deciding the water |
| own house always over their backs is a matter of | | | | conditions, it is important that a little bit of research is |
| true respect. The these exotic crabs can be classified | | | | done about the native habitats of the these exotic |
| into land hermit crabs and marine hermit crabs | | | | crab's inhabitants of the aquarium. This will help in |
| according to their selection of habitat. The comparisons | | | | recreating their native habitats. The aquasystem should |
| between the land and the marine hermit are intriguing | | | | not be completely filled with water, there must be an |
| and an understanding of these comparisons is | | | | air space in the aquarium. The presence of rock faces |
| essential in understanding either of the species. The | | | | is also essential in marine reef aqua systems. The rock |
| members of either species are specially adapted only | | | | faces are crucial for molting and for the crabs taking |
| in their preferred habitat. That implies that marine crabs | | | | rest. In addition, the rock faces also serve the purpose |
| cannot survive for long in a terrestrial environment and | | | | of the climbing of the crabs, because these exotic |
| the land crabs like wisely find the water environment | | | | crabs are good climbers and they love to do so. The |
| not suitable for prolonged survival. However, a water | | | | substratum of the marine aquarium should be a |
| environment is crucial for both the marine and land | | | | mixture of sand and gravel. |
| species for breeding and hatching of their eggs. In fact, | | | | Aquarists estimate the ideal specific gravity of such |
| all land crabs stay as marine crabs in their baby | | | | reef aquarium at 1.022-1.0240. The salt level in the |
| stages. Even the first shells of land crabs are collected | | | | water should ideally be in the range of 30-40 ppt. The |
| from the waterbed. | | | | aquarium water need to be dechlorinated and it should |
| Although there are many species of marine crabs in | | | | be free of Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and chlorides. To |
| the wild, yet only a few of the species have bonded | | | | maintain a reef water aquarium you will need |
| as marine hermit crab pets. The most popular crabs | | | | implements like thermometer, dechlorinator and |
| as marine pets are Pagurus bernhardus, Clibanarius | | | | hygrometer. The aquarist should have a knowledge of |
| digueti, Paguristes cadenati, Clibanarius tricolor and | | | | the nitrogen cycle system in the aquarium. Since these |
| Calcius elegans. These marine species have attractive | | | | exotic crabs are omnivorous animals, so feeding them |
| colors and they have beautiful nicknames too. For | | | | is not usually a headache. Common foods are shed |
| instance, Clibanarius tricolor are called blue-legged reef | | | | exoskeleton, green algae, organic remains and fish |
| hermits and the Clibanarius digueti are called red-legged | | | | flakes. |
| reef hermits. The Paguristes cadenati are also red in | | | | The molting pattern of marine hermit crab is also vastly |
| color and they are called scarlet reef hermit crabs. | | | | different from the land species. They molt frequently, |
| The Calcius elegans have the most fluorescent name | | | | but the strangest thing is that they only take a few |
| of the lot; they are known as electric blue hermit crabs. | | | | minutes to molt. In contrast, the land crabs can take up |
| A knowledge about setting up the requisite saltwater | | | | to a month or more to molt. The marine species do |
| aquarium is very essential in the safe keep of the | | | | not show any prior symptoms of molting and the |
| marine crabs. The maintenance of correct aquarium | | | | crabs have a peculiar knack of preferring the shed |
| conditions should be accomplished with a knowledge | | | | exoskeleton of other crabs as food. |