When Broken Is Easily Crabbed!

A Tank Blog for crabitats, aquariums, and planted tanks

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Shrimp Obituaries & Revenants

There’s some Good News Everyone and some Sad News Broh ): Let’s start with the sad!

After the red crystal shrimp had been in the Work Tank™ for a week I added two cherry shrimp, hoping they were gonna thrive and maybe chomp down on some of the hair algae. Alas, I left for a weekend and came back to all three prostrate on the floor. It is possible there was a filter/heating issue (some people unplug the tank by accident when closing up the shop), but I think it’s more likely there is a pH or ammonium/nitrite problem. I only cycled the tank for 10 days and there is nowhere for a biological filtration system to grow. In fact, there isn’t really a mechanical filtration either, just the 5 hydroponics plants that eat ammonia. Also, a customer told me low pH can weaken shrimps’ exoskeletons. I got a full test kit finally so I’m gonna find out more tomorrow! I did order a small bubbler filter with room for bacteria to grow but low flow so I don’t disturb the gourami (who apparently lives in still water in the wild and is related to the betta!)

So that was the sad news, the good news is that the amino shrimp presumed eaten by Penelope the musk turtle in the post before last have made a comeback 12 days later! Idk if both are alive but at least one has been happily scooting around the aquarium this week (:

I also did tests in Penelope’s tank of the water, ammonium and nitrite were 0 ppm (woo!) as was nitrate (not so woo, right? the plants need it, but maybe that’s a sign they’re getting it all? Idk, I’m gonna add tabs cause some of the melon sword leaves are getting brown. I also added an amazon sword!). Also, the pH was sooo high??? Like 8.0. Do people know what musk turtles like? From what I can see online it’s below neutral, so maybe some mopani wood could soften this fella out! I’m curious if there will be a change in water color and if I’ll prefer it or not, and also if I’m endangering my shrimps by softening it. Def gotta get it to 7.0 at least though.

Listening to Noisekick rn that’s 230 ppm get it lol Well that’s all for now ya goobs, ttys!

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Work Sux, I Know

I started working at a coffee shop in August cause I found out espresso machines are really expensive so if I wanted a lot of espresso I’d probably have to go somewhere that already has one. It’s called Chez Alex, they have vegan food and coffee, but more importantly, they have a lil 3 gallon tank that I’ve gotten to set up! It’s one of those Back To The Roots 3 Gal Hydroponics setups where the “filter” is five small plant pots absorbing the fish’s waste. My guess is this works better in theory than in practice, and the brochure leaves out that at the very least you’ll need a heater for your lil guy. But since the shop owners don’t want to finance my 50 gallon planted tank plans (yet) I’ve made do with what I’ve got.

I went to a local pet store chain to get a betta and snail but was disappointed to find their bettas looked not so great. Someone working there suggested I try a Honey Dwarf Gourami, promising they would be happy alone in a 3 gallon and wouldn’t grow any bigger. Internet research suggest that they should be in a bigger tank (at least a 5 if not a 10+), they may benefit from being with other Honey Gouramis, and there’s a good chance she’s going to grow. So, I’m kind of playing it by ear rn. Last nite I added a red Crystal Shrimp, and provided she does well I’m going to get two more. There’s a mystery snail, who is getting more active each day, one live and one fake plant, and I’m hoping to chop up some spiderwood or mopani driftwood to fit the limited space and give the shrimp hiding spots. Customers love looking in, and I’ve already learned so much about aquariums from other hobbyists!

Setting the tank up on the first day, feelin proud!

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Penelope the Musk Turtle

Ugh so I’m pretty mad at Penelope right now, sometime last night she ate the two Amano Shrimp I added yesterday. I returned to Pacific Aquarium in Lower Manhattan this evening to ask for advice and was told that with aquatic turtles, it could be days, weeks, months, even years, but eventually that fish/invertebrate/plant is gonna get gobbled. I’m a little sad cause yesterday another employee said he’d been successfully keeping a musk turtle in a 20 Gal Long tank (like mine) with Danios, Amano Shrimp, and even a Dwarf Pleco. This isn’t the first time Penelope has munched down on a new tank mate, she has also enjoyed neon tetras and mystery snails in the past. I did some retail therapy and bought a big Melon Sword and some Java Moss, hopefully she can let these be for at least a while. I’m trying to take the top off for a little, I’m worried though that either Penelope will escape on her own or my cat Paprika will hop in. Idk, fingers crossed, but if you know a cuter way to keep turtles in and cats out than this musty cracked glass cover let me know!

Current setup is Eco-Complete Planted Black Substrate, 20″ Finnex Stingray light, Aqueon 20 Gal Power Filter*, a generic heater (no problems so far), 2 pieces of Spiderwood, Marimo Moss Balls, Melon Sword, Java Moss, and a turtle dock.

*I know so little about filters. Like, do these power filters even have biological filtration? Or is it just mechanical? Do the cheap Petco filters do anything useful? If you can rec an article or video that explains the difference I’d be so grateful!

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Nice to meet you!

Hi, my name’s Ashe and I currently look after three tanks. Doing a blog seems like a great way to track the habitats’ progress and learn from the tumblr community. Okay time for introductions, let’s start with the crabs! 

This is a 20 Gal Crabitat, home to 3 Caribbean hermit crabs, Lil Bubs, Big Buns, and Coconut. I was gifted Lil Bubs in 2015 and quickly realized these weren’t low maintenance animals (at least relative to what most people expect). I have lost one crab, Apple Peach, in mysterious circumstances, but everyone else seems to be doing well after 1-2 years. Earlier this week I redid their tank, replacing the coconut husk, adding a small layer of sand, cutting and replanting the three plants I grow inside, and finally adding a mossy shell hammock. I’m hoping this will give them more space to move around on the ground as well as climb.

Big Buns on some driftwood my mom gave me

Lil Bubs curling up

I also added some shells I collected at the beach in Nantucket, MA. Coconut lost no time in switching into one of the new “wild” shells