How to Set Up a Salt Bath for a Hermit Crab

A pet hermit crab tank needs separate bowls for fresh water and salt water. The crabs will drink the fresh water, but when they feel like having a salt bath, they will climb into the other bowl and bathe themselves. These bowls, which need to be filled with distilled water, must be shallow enough that they pose no threat to the crabs. Land hermit crabs breathe with gills, but they can drown if the water covers their shells.

Things You'll Need

• Aquarium salt
• Distilled water
• Shallow bowl
• Natural sea sponge

Instructions

1. Mix the aquarium salt according to the directions. Most dry salt mixes tend to be 1/2 cup of salt per gallon of water.

2. Pour the salt water mix into a shallow bowl. The water should be room temperature. The water level must be deep enough so the crabs can dip the bottom edge of their shells under the surface, but not so deep that it can cover the shell opening of the smallest crab.

3. Add a natural sea sponge to the bowl. The sponge will help smaller crabs climb in and out of the bowl and help keep them from drowning.

4. Bury the bowl in the tank substrate up to its edge. This will make it easier for the crabs to get into the bowl.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use table salt for the salt water bath. It contains iodine, which is harmful to hermit crabs. Only use salt made for salt water aquariums.

References

• HBH: Caring for Your New Pet Hermit Crab
• The Hermit Crab Patch: Key to Survival
• Pet Place: Caring For Hermit Crabs

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• The Crab Street Journal: What Ocean Water Mix Should I Use?