Finally got a critter!

[javajoe]

I have been slowly adding to my tank, I have a 55 gallon and it has been sitting with 150 lbs of southdown sand in it for the last month!
Got filtered water in it finally over last weekend, got the salinity where it needs to be, and the temp too.
Last night, I went to the LFS to buy 20 lbs of live sand to seed my southdown sand. (going to be buy 30 lbs of LR tomorrow as it is payday, adding some more each payday...) The LFS guy had a funny smirk on his face when he gave me the sand... when I dumped it in my tank, to my surprise, out crawled a blue leg hermit!
I know this is probably no big deal to eveyone who has had a tank for awhile, but being on a budget, my wife and I have been going VERY slowly with this whole project... started back in July! So--- i just wanted to tell eveyone that I finally got a critter! It looks really funny... this tiny hermit crab (he is only about 3/4 inch long) wandering around in this BIG 55 gallon tank!
Anyway- that's my post!

 

[ebeckels]

sounds good...maybe the lfs guy gave you the crab by accident but smirked at you cause he likes u!!

 

[misty]

Congrats! I know all about waiting a long time for critters. I started my tank in May and didn't get anything but rocks and water for two months! Then I had 20 hermits for another 6 weeks. They say that it's best to go slow in this hobby, so just think of being on a budget as a way to guarantee that you'll really think about what to put into your tank next! While I'm still adding livestock, I limit myself to one livestock addition per month (although last month my mom came to town so I got an extra coral as her "gift" to the tank). It gives me a whole month to discover and research what to add next. Helps to make it exciting since it's not an everyday thing.
You'll be amazed at how much you can watch a little hermit crab. And good for the guy at your LFS for the extra treat!

 

[javajoe]

Originally posted by Misty:
<STRONG>You'll be amazed at how much you can watch a little hermit crab. And good for the guy at your LFS for the extra treat! </STRONG>
Misty--- you are so right! my wife was laughing at me, becuase we had rented tomb raider last night, and i kep gettin up and watching my hermit crab during the movie!!! she told me i just better be that excited when out baby is born in April!
Eric--- ewwwww.....

 

[tomato clown]

Javajoe,
Your not alone there, My wife and I are on a budget as well, and haven't had much in our tank due to her wanting a house (of all things!?!) We both are always looking at the small things we have, and our biggest expences being the fishies. So far we have had both good luck and major bad luck, but we decided on setting a few dollars aside towards a "Fishie Fund". She is probably going to kill me tonight when she finds out I went to the lfs for the simplest things (hermits and snails) yet walked out with a bigger bill than I wanted to pay.
Anyway, good luck with the little one there, and let us know what ya name the little bugger....LoL
Dan

 

[billyv]

Good for you. Be sure not to overfeed that killer hermit you have! I would suggest buying some mysid shrimp, and feeding him one shrimp every other day. That'd be like someone feeding you a half a cow everyother day, so don't feel bad, like your starving the little guy. You could "stick" the shrimp in the sand, and move the hermit directly on top of it, so he can find it.......the chances of a hermit finding one shrimp in a 55 gallon tank is like you trying to find one hotdog in a stadium. Anyway, good luck with "Hermy", and good luck with the bundle of joy coming your way too! Me and my wife are expecting our first one in May! My tank may take a back seat......for a while anyway!

 

[javajoe]

Billyv....
Thanks for the suggestion about the shrimp-- i got some last night and fed him... MAN! you'd think he hadn't eaten in a week!
It was really funny... he chowed down right away on most of it, then he held on to the 'leftovers' for the rest of the night- as if to keep someone else from eating it! It as really funny... my wife was laughing, becuase before we fed him, he was wandering ALL over the tank-- even climbing on top of the 3 pieces of large dead coral that we have in the bottom of the tank--- after he ate, he just sat there... guess once he got his food, he had no reason to wander anymore!
Hopefully, I'll be getting some LR after work today... I do have to stop back to ***** though-- I stopped in to buy a test kit on the way to work, and accidentally bought a test kit for FRESH water... (that'll teach me to shop BEFORE coffee... )
Again, thanks for the tip on the shrimp!
Joe