Red Claw Crabs

[watters1006]

I purchased 2 red claw crabs and would love any input on them that any have to offer.
Housing,salt/fresh,food etc.
They are cute little dudes and I have in a 10 gal tank.What should I place in there for them? Decorations,plants hiding spots?
thanks Tina

[cdawson]

They're actually brackish and require land, preferrably a half land, half water setup would be ideal. They need to breathe oxygen so it's not possible to keep them in a fully submerged environment. To make the water brackish you'd need marine salt (not aquarium salt), a hydrometer and a separate mixing pump and bucket.

[Dangerdoll]

http://www.thorstenkaye.com/OT.gif

cdawson.... curious.... what's the difference between aquarium salt and Marine salt? Is one mainly for a Saltwater fish tank while the other is for Brackish?

[OrionGirl]

Marine salt contains a variety of trace nutrients, to replicate to some degree the ocean. More than just NaCl--calcium, magnesium, etc. There's a wide variety of elements that are found in the oceans in very small amounts, and most are crucial for marine organisms. Since brackish water is a mix of fresh water and marine water, these trace elements are also present and needed by brackish inhabitants, naturally diluted from full strength marine water.

"Aquarium Salt"--well, it might just be NaCl, but they don't really ever say, do they? Certainly no reason to belive it contains the additives needed for a healthy marine system, much less a brackish one.

[watters1006]

thanks cdawson!
the pet store I purchased them from had them in regular water and submerged all the way in water with a filter.I have them in a 10 gal. tank half full with well water and stuff for them to crawl on to get air.They sold me betta food for them and didn't know the sex but they both have big claws so I assume they are males.
I was told by others that they can survive in water without salt.But, I want to make them happy little crabs lol
thanks Tina

[Dangerdoll]

ok, a little confused... maybe because I'm not so salt-savvy.... but I might be interested in a brackish..... sorry if I seem a bit ignorant.

ok, my thought wasalways that a brackish was a FW environment mixed with a little of a marine environment.... in other words a diluted version of a SW tank.... is it really necessary to use different salt?

[OrionGirl]

Maybe I didn't phrase that right--marine mix salt is what is used to make brackish water. Marine mix, like Instant Ocean, should be used for either marine tanks or brackish tanks. "Aquarium Salt", such as is offered by Doc Wellfish and advertised for use in freshwater tanks, is innapropriate for either marine for brackish tanks.

[Dangerdoll]

hehehe, sorry OG, I get it now, that explained it...thanks ;):D;)

[OrionGirl]

Whew! :)

[Dangerdoll]

hehehehe..... you're so funny! :laugh:

[RTR]

And then there are those who never use "aquarium salt" at all - because they this blind unreasoning desire to knowwhat they are adding to their tanks... :cool:

[Seaman]

I know this is highly disputed, but RCC's do not need to get out of the water, nor do the need brackish water. This is not saying that they wont be healthier in BW, but I had a female RCC in FW for about 2 years 8 months and she NEVER left the water or had anything to stand on out of the water, and 3 years is pretty much a full life, so FWIW they do not need to get out of the water like fiddlers, and they do not NEED BW.

[watters1006]

wow, I have heard that before, that they don't need to get out of the water.what should I have on the bottom of the tank?I have stones from the pet store. I have a few fake plants and an airfilter.How often do I feed them?will My hood light be to much light for them ?I am tren to give them a good home. You all have been so helpful!
thanks Tina

[cdawson]

I know this is highly disputed, but RCC's do not need to get out of the water, nor do the need brackish water. This is not saying that they wont be healthier in BW, but I had a female RCC in FW for about 2 years 8 months and she NEVER left the water or had anything to stand on out of the water, and 3 years is pretty much a full life, so FWIW they do not need to get out of the water like fiddlers, and they do not NEED BW.


you actually just proved they need BW, RCC's live up to 10 years under proper conditions. Your's was subjected to a short lifespan due to the lack of nutrients they need to stay healthy that marine salt provides.

[TKOS]

It seems obvious to me that if offered a way to make it safely to the surface the crab will let you know its desires. If it wants to stay submerged then it will, otherwise it will come to the surface by itself. No real sense argueing the fact, just give it the option.

And it also seems right that any creature that has a shell will need some sort of harder water, whether it is brackish or not. They need a high calcium content and other additives like iodine to help achieve a proper molt and live a happy life.

Your RCC's will also like hiding spots so they can take off and hide after a molt.

[watters1006]

I have ways for them to get out of the water and that is where they ALWAYS are .The only time I see them in the water is to eat.What temp should the water be kept?
thanks Tina

[TKOS]

http://www.geocities.com/elgecko1989/crab.html

That seems to be a good link to some info on them. 72-82F seems like the temp and a brackish level of 1.004 sg (ph 8).

[cdawson]

I have ways for them to get out of the water and that is where they ALWAYS are .The only time I see them in the water is to eat.What temp should the water be kept?
thanks Tina


I agree, mine were never in the water.

[watters1006]

I am changing to brackish and was wondering how much salt to ad to 3 inches of water? I have a part land/water tank.I am using Aquarium salt,and am planning on letting it in a container for day or so before adding to my crabs.Should I add it when I do water change?
thanks Tina

[Haggisman]

I know this is highly disputed, but RCC's do not need to get out of the water, nor do the need brackish water. This is not saying that they wont be healthier in BW, but I had a female RCC in FW for about 2 years 8 months and she NEVER left the water or had anything to stand on out of the water, and 3 years is pretty much a full life, so FWIW they do not need to get out of the water like fiddlers, and they do not NEED BW.

Man there really should be an "i'm with stupid" smiley, these crabs come from mudflats in ESTURIES, thats brackish fyi ;) They rarely live long in freshwater, if its hard alkaline then maybe a year or two.

I'll dig up some good info on these guys I seen on a site.

[Haggisman]

Scientific name: Perisesarma (Sesarma) bidens
Pronounced: Perry-sez-arma by-dens
Origin: Imported from Hong Kong. Similar species are also imported from Singapore and Thailand.
Habitat: This crab is common on mud flats, sandy beaches and river banks in estuarine areas, particularly around Hong Kong.
Temperament: Red crabs will catch small fish and eat them if they can.
Do not keep them with bottom dwellers, fish with long fins, or small species - in fact always exercise caution when mixing them with any fish...
Stocking: Crabs can be kept in groups, providing there is enough space for them to hold territories, otherwise they will fight a lot. Keep one male to about three or four females.
Aquarium: Most fishkeepers and shops keep their Red crabs in normal aquaria with no access to ‘land’. However, experts say that they do best when they are given access to ‘land’, so some form of ‘beach’ in the tank would be beneficial for their long-term well-being.

Provide plenty of cover in the form of bogwood for the crabs to climb on and hide under. Plants can be added - but the crabs may prune them for you.

Whatever style of tank you adopt, always ensure that it is well secured. Red crabs can climb out of the aquarium if given the chance, and they may look at cables entering the tank as an escape ladder out of the aquarium.

Size: Most Red crabs reach about 5cm/2” when fully grown.
Price: Around £2-3 each.
Diet: Red crabs are omnivorous. They will happily accept both meaty foods such as small pieces of lancefish, bloodworms and catfish tablets, as well as vegetable foods such as frozen peas and aquatic plants.
Water: They can be kept in hard, alkaline freshwater. However, experts reckon they do best in slightly brackish water. Crabs don’t tolerate pollution, especially high levels of nitrate, so keep on top of maintenance.
Sexing: Males are more brightly coloured than females. Females also have a different shaped abdomen - only visible on the underside.
Breeding: Red crabs generally enter slightly more brackish conditions to spawn. While they may produce eggs
in captivity, the microscopic planktonic larvae are unlikely to survive and foods small enough to feed them can be hard to come by.
Notes: Like other invertebrates, Red crabs are particularly sensitive to copper, which is an ingredient in
many fish-disease treatments and
snail-eradication chemicals. Take special care to select medications that are safe to use in an aquarium containing invertebrates when treating diseases. The Treatment Finder program on the PFK website can help you find suitable crab-friendly treatments:
www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/
treatmentfinder

[RTR]

"Aquarium salt" produces salted water. If you want brackish water, you need to use marine mix. Brackish water water is some mixture of seawater and freshwater - not at all freshwater with sodium chloride added.

[watters1006]

thanks for the help, i had wanted instant ocean and they were out. i haven't added any salt yet.I am trying to test the ph level but my chart only goes to 7.2 and had no luck finding a chart on line to look at or print out to see what color 8 would be.any one know where I could find one? did a search on google and had no luck.
thanks Tina

[SomethingFishy]

thanks for the help, i had wanted instant ocean and they were out. i haven't added any salt yet.I am trying to test the ph level but my chart only goes to 7.2 and had no luck finding a chart on line to look at or print out to see what color 8 would be.any one know where I could find one? did a search on google and had no luck.
thanks Tina

You don't need a different color chart, you need a different test kit. There's a separate pH kit that reads higher pH levels.

[watters1006]

thank you, I will have to buy a new one plus some stuff to higher/lower ph levels.Would it be possible to use stones you find outside as decorations and what would I clean them with?
Tina