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Welcome! Are you getting the crabs and sand from the ocean or a local pet store? As others have said, posting a picture of your setup and whatever maintenance/feeding you do would help get this investigation underway!3.5 gal tank 6 marine hermit crabs. Get salt water & sand from where we got the crabs. Every 2 wks my sand turns black. If i don't change w/I 2 days, crabs die & kids cry. I have to redo the whole tank. What's the problem?
Welcome to R2R!
Your sand is turning black from the lack of oxygen
Welcome!Like Crabs and SPR1968 said post some pics and some parameters and we will get ya help.
Here's a pic, it's been 2 weeks since I changed the sand which involves emptying the tank. I've tried more sand less sand. The water and sand come from the beach where I got the crabs.Welcome to R2R! Sorry to hear about your troubles. We'll definitely try to help. Can you post pictures of the issue? Also is the sand and water wild collected or from a fish store?
Here's the tank. Sand turns black about every 2 weeks. It is sand and water from the beach where we got the crabs. There are 6 crabs left. 3 have died. Maybe they don't turn the sand fast enough, or too many for the tank. I been reading on your site maybe I need snails?
Sand & water comes from the beach where I got the crabs.
No, you don't need snails. You need gas exchange. You need flow from an air stone or a filter of some sorts. The black stuff is hydrogen sulfide.Here's the tank. Sand turns black about every 2 weeks. It is sand and water from the beach where we got the crabs. There are 6 crabs left. 3 have died. Maybe they don't turn the sand fast enough, or too many for the tank. I been reading on your site maybe I need snails?
Sand & water comes from the beach where I got the crabs
No, you don't need snails. You need gas exchange. You need flow from an air stone or a filter of some sorts. The black stuff is hydrogen sulfide.
You also need to change the water with new seawater weekly, top off with freshwater to replace water that has evaporated and without algae the crabs will starve to death. They are also going to need a number of empty shells to move into as they grow.
It sounds like you just grabbed some sand water and crabs in a bucket from the beach. This ain't going to work long term. Do you have a heater?
Can we get a better picture of the crabs because I think one of them is a giant marine hermit. Those can get the size of a football but I'm not sure from that picture.
Here's a pic, it's been 2 weeks since I changed the sand which involves emptying the tank. I've tried more sand less sand. The water and sand come from the beach where I got the crabs.
I have a heater.
I got special water to add as it evaporates but rarely does bc I have to change the whole thing.
Do you have a filter?I have a heater.
I got special water to add as it evaporates but rarely does bc I have to change the whole thing.