Redecorating Tank

[Ginger]

Hi all,

Its been very quiet lately, so, to stir up some conversation and to satisfy my own curiosity, I have a question: how often do you change up your tank, and how does it affect your crabs behaviour?

I redecorate every two weeks, however it may need to be done more frequently! After a change, days 1-4 make the crabs literally hyperactive, days 5-10 are normal, then days 11-14 there is absolutely NO activity whatsoever.

At the end of the 2 weeks, suction caps and gauges have been torn down and stomped on, ornaments are tattered and grubby, holes and ditches are everywhere in sight, sand has been smeared onto the walls and who knows what food has been stashed away in the hideys.

So, I am looking forward to hearing how your crabs react to a switch! Ginger.

[Wai]

My lot do indeed do some exploring whenever the layout of the tank is altered. I change the layout approximately three to five times a year.

[appps]

I haven't changed my layout in years. They do like when I top up the sand though, brings on a hole digging frenzy.

[Wai]

I recently added more sand to my tank (it is now about 7 inches deep) due to the addition of Antares, but he hasn't been digging much.

[emmac350]

Roughing up the substrate does seem to inspire the crabs to dig...and adding new items to the tank/redecorating it also gets them moving. I try to move stuff in the tank around (food bowl, extra shells, etc.) to get them exercising. I don't move the water, just because it's in the easiest place to get to.

[appps]

I should add I don't change mine up but my crabs are always pretty active anyway. They go more dormant in winter when I drop my temps a little but in summer they are always out and about. They really like the plastic ferns and there is always someone balanced precariously on the end of a frond