I've been keeping hermit crabs or hermies for quite a few years and so I have done my fair share of cleaning aquariums.
In this article I'm going to talk you through the exact steps I take and teach you how to clean a hermit crabs aquarium that will leave it not only clean to the eye, but more importantly, sanitary as well.
The first and probably the most obvious thing that I do is to remove my hermies and put them elsewhere.
I would recommend using a large plastic box with steep sides, since they don't get the nickname "Houdini Hermie" for nothing.
They really are masters in escapology and it can take a long time to find them if they escape.
I would advise, when learning the basics in cleaning out your tank, that you carry out a little light cleaning on a daily basis and then once a month do a real thorough clean.
If you are doing a daily clean, then once you have removed your hermie, you need to sieve through the sand (without removing it from the tank) to cleanse it from any debris or uneaten food particles.
The best way to learn how to get your little hermie's home cleaned up is to set aside about fifteen minutes a day when you do a light spring clean such as this.
I personally, find a cat litter scoop an effective tool for sieving the sand but you can use a tea strainer or small sieve, whichever you prefer.
It is important todo this daily clean because otherwise any left over debris could attract flies or bacteria into the tank which could harm your hermie and potentially kill them.
Once a month I do a top to bottom clean of my crabarium, as the tank is normally called.
As I said at the beginning of this article, the first step to cleansing your little buddy's tank is to remove the hermie.
After this I would take out all of the sand and dispose of it.
After this I remove any food and water dishes along with any toys.
You also need to remove any rocks, sea shells or bark that your little hermie uses to climb on and explore.
I place the toys, rocks and sea shells into a large pan of water and then boil on the stove for abut five minutes to sterilise them.
Then I leave them to cool.
Whilst this is doing, I clean the food and water bowls by rinsing them in clear water.
Do not use detergent or chemicals as this could kill your hermie.
The next stage cleaning out your little buddy's habitat or tank to to clean the aquarium itself.
Once the sand has been dumped out, I give it a really good scrub round with a mixture of vinegar and water.
Don't be tempted to use any harsh detergents or chemicals as these could leave behind some toxics which could be fatal for your hermie.
I make sure that the entire aquarium is totally dry by wiping it with kitchen roll.
Once I'm satisfied that the aquarium is squeaky clean, I go ahead and put in a layer of new play sand, to a depth of about 3 inches.
You can also use ground coconut fiber or even crushed coral.
Once this is done, I replace all of the rocks and shells, toys and food and water bowls and then I leave it until the temperature and humidity level has got up to the correct levels.
Then it's time to put my hermie back in their nice clean home.
It's not rocket science but it is important to learn how to clean a hermit crabs aquarium properly if you are going to be successful at keeping healthy, happy, and contented hermies.
In this article I'm going to talk you through the exact steps I take and teach you how to clean a hermit crabs aquarium that will leave it not only clean to the eye, but more importantly, sanitary as well.
The first and probably the most obvious thing that I do is to remove my hermies and put them elsewhere.
I would recommend using a large plastic box with steep sides, since they don't get the nickname "Houdini Hermie" for nothing.
They really are masters in escapology and it can take a long time to find them if they escape.
I would advise, when learning the basics in cleaning out your tank, that you carry out a little light cleaning on a daily basis and then once a month do a real thorough clean.
If you are doing a daily clean, then once you have removed your hermie, you need to sieve through the sand (without removing it from the tank) to cleanse it from any debris or uneaten food particles.
The best way to learn how to get your little hermie's home cleaned up is to set aside about fifteen minutes a day when you do a light spring clean such as this.
I personally, find a cat litter scoop an effective tool for sieving the sand but you can use a tea strainer or small sieve, whichever you prefer.
It is important todo this daily clean because otherwise any left over debris could attract flies or bacteria into the tank which could harm your hermie and potentially kill them.
Once a month I do a top to bottom clean of my crabarium, as the tank is normally called.
As I said at the beginning of this article, the first step to cleansing your little buddy's tank is to remove the hermie.
After this I would take out all of the sand and dispose of it.
After this I remove any food and water dishes along with any toys.
You also need to remove any rocks, sea shells or bark that your little hermie uses to climb on and explore.
I place the toys, rocks and sea shells into a large pan of water and then boil on the stove for abut five minutes to sterilise them.
Then I leave them to cool.
Whilst this is doing, I clean the food and water bowls by rinsing them in clear water.
Do not use detergent or chemicals as this could kill your hermie.
The next stage cleaning out your little buddy's habitat or tank to to clean the aquarium itself.
Once the sand has been dumped out, I give it a really good scrub round with a mixture of vinegar and water.
Don't be tempted to use any harsh detergents or chemicals as these could leave behind some toxics which could be fatal for your hermie.
I make sure that the entire aquarium is totally dry by wiping it with kitchen roll.
Once I'm satisfied that the aquarium is squeaky clean, I go ahead and put in a layer of new play sand, to a depth of about 3 inches.
You can also use ground coconut fiber or even crushed coral.
Once this is done, I replace all of the rocks and shells, toys and food and water bowls and then I leave it until the temperature and humidity level has got up to the correct levels.
Then it's time to put my hermie back in their nice clean home.
It's not rocket science but it is important to learn how to clean a hermit crabs aquarium properly if you are going to be successful at keeping healthy, happy, and contented hermies.
Source...