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Hello All!
I am a fairly new crab parent. I have a little family of three who live in my classroom and at home on the cold weekends. I have had two of my hermit crabs since September (Moe and Mr. Crab) and I bought a third to join them just a few weeks after (Herbie). What I didn’t realize when buying the third is that there are different species sold as pets. I have just recently learned that my first two are Ecuadorians and the third is a Purple Pincher. I have read that the two species can coexist well with each other, but I have also read that you should have at least two of each species.
So a couple of questions follow:
1. Should I get a fourth (a second purple pincher)?
2. I only have a 10 gallon tank, would 4 crabs be too crowded?
They are all ping pong sized or smaller (including their shells).
I want to be sure they all stay as happy and healthy as they are now. I’ve grown rather attached to them. Any suggestions welcome!
M
Hello Michelle!
I haven’t heard that similar crabs need to have at least two of the same species living together. After all, the crabs have no idea they are “different”, they just know they are crabs. However, different species require different kinds of care. I do know that Strawberry crabs need more heat and maybe more humidity, as well as a deeper salt water dish to submerge themselves (all species need salt water) I use Oceanic Instant Sea Salt. I have 3 pp’s as well, and I can tell you they do need room to climb, hide and walk. A ten gallon is good, but a 20 gallon would be much better for the crabs. You are also thinking about getting a fourth crab, they will need lots of room to explore. I have a golfball sized female, a medium sized male, and a tiny male. I am trying to acclimate the tiny crab into the 40 gallon tank with the other two, he resides in a 20 gallon tank. My big girl can be a bit of a bully, so I am taking my time getting them together. I want to be 100 % sure she will not harm the little one. It took me 3 months to get her used to the medium crab, and now they are best buddies. A larger tank is best when it comes to crabs…………So, get yourself another crab, you will have four times the fun! Good luck to you! Beth
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