The Petite Hermit Crab Colony

At long last, a view of the Colony! Enjoy! Oh, and in the single day between the time I took these pictures and right this minute, which is 8:15pm CST 28 January 2008, the Crab Rangoon swapped shells. The Crab Rangoon is no longer purple, but salmon-pink, a little darker than the Crab Apple.

NOTE: The Crab Rangoon swapped shells again! He's now in a natural shell. Pics forthcoming....

The Colonists have joined the Hermit Crab Association. Click the icon for more info!

		A view inside the Colony's compound, a ten-gallon tank with coconut-fiber substrate, a gravel pit with water bowl, assorted rocks and shells, and a jack-o-lantern hidey-hole....
Uh.... A narrow-end-on view of the compound
		Deep beneath the jack-o-lantern lurks... the Crab Nebula, with its lovely iridescent shell!
In the salt-spa! Left: the Crab Grass. Right: the Crab Rangoon.
		Ah! The Spa! Green shell: the Crab Grass. Pink shell: the Crab Apple. Purple shell: the Crab Rangoon. Iridescent shell: the Crab Nebula.
Ruler of the Rock! The Crab Grass seizes control of the Perching Rock!
		Oh no! I cannot fall off! I am Ruler of the Rock! (note: a second later, the Crab Grass did indeed fall of the Rock, then, natch, scrambled immediately back up!)
News flash! I went to buy more hermchow today (1 February 2008) and, natch, came away with another colonist.... Introducing the Crab Cake, whose festive shell caught my eye right away!

NEW!

Crazy Crab Broadcasting is pleased to present this grand new concept in habitat renovation. We're going to take an old, boring habitat and, with luck, skill, and a lot of imagination (we'll provide the first two, but we're relying on your imagination!) we'll turn that 'tat into a showplace!

In the beginning was the 'tat, and though it had form, and wasn't really void, it wasn't, well, how to say this politely... up to standards, eh what?

     As with any remodeling job, it's crucial to use the proper tools for the job. And as the great prophet Red Green tells us, any tool is the right tool for the job....

Okay. I used an Earthbound Farms spinach tub. Poked holes in it with my handy soldering iron, and put the gravel from the previous beach in it.

     One step closer. I used little storage tublets from the grocery store, they come 6 to a pack, for the water bowls. I used the last of the previous beach to make the Snackin' Beach, where I put some food shells.

I'm fairly sure all my guys can get into and out of the tubs. Fairly sure. But "fairly sure" isn't "100% sure." So, I used the Baby Bio-Vine to make a bendy, freeform bit o' modern art as escape ladders....

     A view of the completed tank. Well, completed for now. I didn't disturb the left side of the 15-gallon at all, because most everyone is buried in over there. The only surface dweller at that time was the Crab Grass, who was oddly curious about the remodeling work. Had to keep scooting the little spud outta the way....

In the beginning was the 'tat, and though it had form, and wasn't really void, it wasn't, well, how to say this politely... up to standards, eh what?
		As with any remodeling job, it's crucial to use the proper tools for the job. And as the great prophet Red Green tells us, any tool is the right tool for the job....
Okay. I used an Earthbound Farms spinach tub. Poked holes in it with my handy soldering iron, and put the gravel from the previous beach in it.
		One step closer. I used little storage tublets from the grocery store, they come 6 to a pack, for the water bowls. I used the last of the previous beach to make the Snackin' Beach, where I put some food shells.
I'm fairly sure all my guys can get into and out of the tubs. Fairly sure. But "fairly sure" isn't "100% sure." So, I used the Baby Bio-Vine to make a bendy, freeform bit o' modern art as escape ladders....
		A view of the completed tank. Well, completed for now. I didn't disturb the left side of the 15-gallon at all, because most everyone is buried in over there. The only surface dweller at that time was the Crab Grass, who was oddly curious about the remodeling work. Had to keep scooting the little spud outta the way....