Hermit crabs mated

F

fratern

AC Members
Jun 10, 2005
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I have two blue legged hermit crabs in my 55 gal aquarium, and I have witnessed one of the hermit crabs have clouds of babies. A couple of months later I saw the two crabs clatched together mating. They carried that on the whole day. Than a little while later I was feeding my fish and I noticed some hermit crab larvae swimming around. I missed the larvae actually being born and the last of the larva was quickly eaten by my fish. I wanted to be able to scoop them up right when they are born so I could try raising them. Does any body know how long after mating they have the larvae, and if it is possible to raise them? If so, how?
 
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you could try a smaller breeder tank. All you would need is a few pieces of rock and the hermits. If it is a small tank then instead of a skimmer just change half the tank weekly, say its a 10g, it will only be 5g. Then you can breed them like crazy and becuase there will not be any fish in there, they will survive. Then you can either put them in the big tank or get credit from your lfs. Good luck
 
I don't think that it's going to be easy to manage to be honest with you. They need very,very,very clean water and a ready source of live plancton to eat. They also have issues with getting stuck to the surface tension , can't take much agitation to the water etc. Most of the crustaceans are very hard to raise to metamorphasis but, I wish you the best and it would be supper neat if you pull it off.
 
Thanks, but I honestly didn't do anything special to my aquarium. I am suprised to hear that that is rare. My set up is just a 55 gal with a sub gravel filter two power heads, and obviously a heater. My aquarium is fairly lightly stocked with fish, and I have a serpent star, a Sri Lanka cleaner shrimp(skunk cleaner shrimp), and my two hermit crabs. I do one monthly water change, and I have had it running since July 2004. Again, I am very suprised that this is uncommon because I was not trying to breed them. I have to say it was really cool watching the hermit crab have the larva. The hermit crab had the babys at night and I just happened to notice it. The crab began to pump it's shell and clouds of them came out of it's shell. At the time I wasnt thinking I could have easily scooped them out with a cup because the crab had them near the surface. I hope there is another chance for me to catch the larva. Also I dont really want to move the crabs to a different aquarium because there is no telling how they might react, and I think they are quite comfortable with 55 gal to roam about in.
 
You could pay attention to them and try to see if there is a schedule of sorts that they follow. If you can get good and guessing when they release the babies you could maybe move the crab the day before and let the release happen in a different tank, then move him back? Or at least you can be ready to scoop out what you can during the release.

Rick
 
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