Spirulina in Waterbowl?

[MomofFive]

I talked to a guy in Germany who has been keeping Hermit Crabs in tats with live plants for 25 years.
I asked him a bunch of questions, since I was thinking about switching to live plants as well and it is easier for me to understand plant names, instructions etc in my own language.
Over the phone he also told me about the diet for his hermies. Not much different from what is done over here!
But:
He offers Spirulina, every day, by adding it to the fresh water bowl.
Is that a common use for it? I always sprinkled some over their random fruits and veggies!
Anybody else doing that?

[Jadexox]

On you tube some one who has crabs puts Spirulina in their water and had no probs

[blondy627]

I have a recipe for hermie food with spirulina in it, but I don't put it in their water. That must be hard to clean! I have to scrub it out of my food shell with my toothbrush used only for them if it gets moist from me misting.

[ladybug15057]

I haven't put spirulina in our hermies water ponds, but do offer it in their food dish.
A little concern maybe too if it would start an algae growth like will happen sometimes from hermies getting food within their shells.

[MomofFive]

I haven't put spirulina in our hermies water ponds, but do offer it in their food dish.
A little concern maybe too if it would start an algae growth like will happen sometimes from hermies getting food within their shells.

I was thinking about that as well like, a little spirulina garden in their shell
I wonder if something like that happens in nature?
This man is keeping crabs for such a long time... hes got to do something right, but it gives me too much to think about to try it!
I will just stick with sprinkling it over their fruits and veggies!

[ladybug15057]

It does to a degree but nature has a way of balancing somethings out. This is something that we can try with all our might but cannot imitate it 100%. There have been a few crabbers in the past who bought hermies with a greenish film within their shells, algae type.
Question too, of the 25 years he has been keeping hermies, what is the longest he has had one hermie (or more) under his care?

Edited to add:
Please do not get me wrong, I do know of a few who are still attempting/experimenting with live vivariums with hermies. It has worked with a couple other creatures and some of the details with hermies are trying to be ironed out.

[MomofFive]

He has 4 Crabs that have been with him for 17 years and he went all natural with his tanks about 6 years ago. He told me that in the beginning it was hard to figure out anything at all, because Hermit Crabs were pretty much unknown in Germany back then.
(I had no idea they were sold as pets, and I lived there till I turned 27!)
He went through a lot of trial and error...
Now his crabitats are divided into beach zone with dry beach sand and a humid forest zone. He only uses his own organic compost, mostly Airplants, Moss, Ferns and a few other 'jungle' plants. Lots of Cork!!! "The natural way to isolate your crabitat for the cold months! Cork backgrounds!"
He takes his wife on vacations to exotic places to see Hermit Crabs in nature and to study the plants and soil conditions along the beaches.
He also told me, that after so many years, he is still learning and making mistakes!
I asked him if it is ok to call him again during the weekend. I hope to find out more about the differences in crabbing between the US and Germany

[Jedi_Sena]

Sometimes the crabs water gets a little funky before I get it changed out with fresh and they still eat it. In the wild, their water isn't exactly pure. Does the spirulina come alive in the water and grow or reproduce? In that case it would make the water cleaner.

My coworker and I each had a betta fish in a vase. She had a large plant in hers. When I set mine up, I wanted the fish to be the focus of the vase so I left the plant out. She over fed her betta consistently and so the bottom was always full of fallen food bits. Still, her water only needed to be changed out every month or so. Without a plant, my water would stink to high heaven if I waited one week to change out my water. The live plant in the water made a HUGE difference in the quality of the water, and the longevity of the fish.

But if the spirulina isn't alive, and just rots in the water, I don't like the idea. but maybe spirulina is like yeast that comes to life again in water. I don't know enough about spirulina. It is either a brilliant idea or a terrible one. I'm undecided at this point, but the idea is intriguing!