All water that comes in contact with your hermit crab must be dechlorinated. Most cities add chlorine to their water supply. Some add chlorine and chloramines to the water. Unless you have contacted your water department and determined if they use both, you should use a treatment to remove both. In the past, it was enough to let water sit out for 24 hours so the chlorine could evaporate out. That no longer is sufficient because chloramines will never evaporate out nor ammonia. A bottle of water treatment will last for years.
Distilled water is not recommended as it is devoid of beneficial minerals.
Stresscoat should NOT be added to your crabs water.
Chlorine and chloramines cause burning on the gills of a hermit crab and will eventually kill the crab.
Here is a list of just a few of the chemicals routinely added to our water supply:
- Liquified chlorine
- Fluorosilicic acid
- Aluminium sulphate
- Calcium hydroxide
- Sodium silicofluoride
Typical Tap Water Content:
- Chlorine
- Fluorine compounds – not harmful
- Trihalomethanes (THMs)
Salts of:
- arsenic
- radium
- aluminium
- copper
- lead
- mercury
- cadmium
- barium
- Hormones
- Nitrates
- Pesticides
Prime water conditioner’s shelf life is indefinite, as long as the Prime stays away from direct heat or cold, the components will not break down or degrade. Even very old bottles of Prime are still safe and effective.
Updated method for treating water with Prime
There is no risk of overdosing Prime.
Fluoride is not harmful
Resources
http://freshlysqueezedwater.org.uk/waterarticle_watercontent.php