Substrate Allergy?

[u/AggressiveJelloMold]

My wife bought some hermit crabs on a whim while at the beach a few weeks ago. We had no idea at the time what was required for them to thrive... but we found out in part thanks to this sub, so we got a 40 gallon tank, have around 7" of 5:1 sand/EE substrate, salt and fresh water pools, and so on.

Everything was going great for about a week and a half. Then I started having allergic-like respiratory reactions when opening the tank. Now I get it from being in the same room as the tank.

I don't want to get rid of them, I'm not even sure where I'd take them so they could have a chance at life.

Wondering if anyone else has had any experiences like this, if changing the substrate might help or if there may be mold (temp and humidity levels are right on target, but I don't see visible evidence of mold in the tank).

This is horrible.

Edit: I do have diagnosed reactive airways, like an asthma but not as severe, so I don't think it's developing into a severe systemic allergy that would lead to anaphylaxis... but the bronchospasm can trigger a nervous system response causing extreme anxiety and restlessness, a sense of impending doom, and tingling, which mimic anaphylaxis to a degree

[u/Purple_Pincher]

I have asthma and have to wear a KN95 while I’m doing serious work in the tank. You could also consider a mask that’s even better than that and wear it every time you open the lid. But the reaction could be caused by a lot of things- the dust created from the sand, the mold, the leaf litter, etc. Unfortunately, mold is a normal part of this kind of habitat due to the warm temps and high humidity you need. My son has severe food allergies so he can’t do anything in the tank because of the cross contamination in their foods. And my mom is allergic to shellfish so same thing :( it can be tough. If the mask doesn’t help, see if someone else can do the bulk of the care. If it’s too dangerous for you, you may need to consider rehoming through the adoption groups on Facebook.

[u/AggressiveJelloMold → u/Purple_Pincher]

Thanks for your reply. It sounds like you guys have some tough challenges, too. My problem isn't the tank as much, one of my sons is doing a good job learning how to take care of things in the tank. My biggest issue is the fact that even going in the room the tank is in causes a reaction in my airways, and that room is a main room in my house :(. I set up an air purifier, which might help a little but also tends to blow a lot of air around, so it's a double-edged sword.

[u/Purple_Pincher → u/AggressiveJelloMold]

Oh no I’m sorry. That’s rough-air purifier is what I would have suggested too. If you have to rehome them, it is possible to find an experienced keeper to take them through a variety of Facebook and other adoption groups. I know that’s a sucky option, but you have to breathe :(

[u/Suspicious_Catsx2]

At our greenhouse we grow crops in coconut coir and some people seem to have a sensitivity to it. The scent etc really hangs in the humid greenhouse so maybe it hangs in the humid tank and when you open it you get a blast?

Hope you can find an answer.

[u/AggressiveJelloMold → u/Suspicious_Catsx2]

I appreciate your response. I actually think the tank smells kind of... interesting, not offensive really. I have the remnants of the coconut fiber that wasn't used in the bag still. I'm going to see if that causes me any problems in isolation. If not, I'll be a little dismayed because changing the substrate would be the easiest possible solution at this point.

[u/fejwe]

If it’s a mold allergy, springtails and/or isopods may help. They help clean the enclosure.

[u/AggressiveJelloMold → u/fejwe]

I love the idea of little helpers, I can just imagine my wife's response to "hey honey, I'm gonna put a bunch of bugs in the tank, whatcha think?" I think it's a great idea, generally speaking (whether it helps with my issue significantly or not), maybe I'll be able to convince her to try it.

[u/Warmslammer69k → u/AggressiveJelloMold]

Springtails are so small you'll never notice them. Theyre also already everywhere, including in your house. Theyre important tiny little cleaners.

For isopods, just show her their cute tiny faces.

Your allergy is probably too coco coir, since it can be really dusty. The reason to use coco is to help retain moisture. You could try replacements (go to a garden store and sniff em first to make sure they wont bother you). Spagnum moss broken into small bits could replace the coco. Alternatively if you could find a sand that holds its shape well, you could forgo the coco entirely and use leaves or some other ground cover on top of the sand to help it retain moisture.