Hi! Red- clawed crab- I need help!

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witchiepoohs

AC Members
Sep 30, 2009
16
0
0
Ireland
Hi all, I'm a newbie to ac.

My two boys won two common goldfish at a fair. I set up a small tank for them, but one died last week. My eldest son was distraught. Three days ago my pal added three red- clawed crabs to her goldfish tank. My son fell in love!
So off I trotted with son in hand to the pet shop. I was told that the crab would live in cold freshwater, that it would eat the flakes on the bottom that my fish left behind, that it didn't need to come out of the water, basically it's is supposed to be that easy. I could not get any written info from the pet shop.
I called into my pal today and was told that all of her crabs died!:jaw-dropping:
I raced home and got on my 'muter trying to find out what I could about these little guys... while our crab was still in his water and plastic bag.

I feel I have been mis- informed big time in the pet shop.

I am confused about some of the info I have found out. I do know I have a male, sexing is easy. Do they need brackish water? is it a preference only- will he be happy in fresh water. I read that they don't tolerate amonia in the water, so that means the goldfish and the crab can't live together as goldfish are high in amonia "emmissions!"

So, he needs to be able to get out of the water some times, this all,so far,contradicts the pet shop. They said I didn't need to buy special food for him, seems that I do! :irked:

Help Folks! :1zhelp:

1. What is the best food for him over the counter?
2. I need to know exact salt to water ratio.
3.Anything I haven't thought of please add in!

At the moment "Biff" the crab is in my tallest pyrex dish with a pot lid on. I have scrubbed some stones and made a little platform for him to climb and stand on. I have added a solution of salt water, I put normal sea salt in tap water into a container, and seperated the liquid from the salt granules that did not dissolve and added that to fresh water that I had prepared hours ago at a ratio of about 1portion salt to 6 portions water. I don't know what I'm doing, all the shops were closed by the time I got home and so I improvised as best I could. I hope I don't kill him, my little boy will reeaaalllly be so upset if that happens. He's already named him. Biffs' dish sits beside the fish tank.

I know absolutely nothing about caring for this little creature and neither do the shop selling him. Is there a book thet one could recommend?

Please someone tell me what to do, I plan to buy a new tank for him in the morning.

Thanks for reading, any help will be very much appreciated!

>^..^< ! G !
 

witchiepoohs

AC Members
Sep 30, 2009
16
0
0
Ireland
Hiyah E!

Cheers for that, it's good to see how others do things, kind of gives one a handle on things! "Coler" suggested I post on the Vivarium forum, so I did and got a lot of info there too.
You guys are just so friendly here, think I'll stay!!

>^..^< !
 

E's_Crab_Shack

Wasteland Messiah
May 11, 2009
256
0
0
No problem, just saw your from Ireland? How cool, didnt know we had members over there
 

FindingBlemo

I ♥ Angelfish!
Jul 2, 2009
519
0
0
Black Diamond, WA
I'd get a 10 gallon aquarium on Craigslist, Ebay or from Wal-Mart (They are surprisingly good from Wal-Mart). Then you could go from a terrarium into a paludarium or into an aquarium.

What you have is probably a Red Clawed Mangrove Crab and it does need to breath air occasionally. Some crabs, like fiddlers, need access to the air to survive. What you have are like this. You may get lucky and keep them completely submerged for a time, but it isn't healthy in the long term. Give them an easy way to get out of the water, and some terrain to explore. Just make sure that there is no way for the critter to escape the tank or to get close to the hot lights under the hood. Note that these crabs can climb nearly any cable or hose, plus they appear to be able to swim upwards at least 6". Be careful how you arrange your habitat, and use a tight-fitting hood.

These crabs eat pretty much anything that settles to the bottom of the tank. Such as: Hikari loach wafers, Wardley shrimp pellets, and dried tubifex worms.

The trace elements in sea salt are beneficial to these creatures. Consequently, natural or synthetic sea salt should be used in their habitat as opposed to plain salt. Interestingly, Frank G. also writes that in his experience iodine supplements help reduce mortality during molts. Try a reef aquarium iodine/iodide supplement if you are having problems with molting, but be careful not to overdose.

Copper is dangerous to all inverts, but the levels present in some aquarium plant fertilizers should not be harmful. It would be wise to avoid copper-based medications for any tank with inverts, though.

That should be enough information to keep you going! If you'd like to read the full article, it's right here:
http://wrongcrowd.com/staticpages/index.php/crab

 

witchiepoohs

AC Members
Sep 30, 2009
16
0
0
Ireland
Yeah E, the Emerald Isle! Lately we call it "rip off Ireland" as it's got so expensive here, and you? I reckon this forum is mostly U.S. and Canada, no?

Update on Biff: He lives! still, Ha! I have a knack with nature, L! ( Actually , I just did what you guys here told me to do...shhh!)
Biff is the name Ciaran (my 7yo) gave his crab! He said it's 'cos he looks like he has boxing gloves on, he looks like a tough guy! Kids are great eh?!

Finding Blemo, Hiyah!
Great info and thanks for the food bit, it's hard to find info on these crabs, if I didn't happen to find this site I really would have been lost and Biff would have been dead, and Ciaran would have flipped the lid(gone crazy) and I'd be feeling bad and Ciaran would make me have a funeral for Biff out the back, then I'd feel silly... well, you get the picture!

As I said, I'm in Ireland so no walmart here, I think I have a small 20ltr tank in the attic so surely that is big enough for one crab, no? I've read that 1ftsq tank floor size is big enough for one crab, and my tank is twice that. 10gals seems huge for one crab, am I wrong? he's really small!
Nice log! Makes a statement! Something like that would be great but I have a feeling it's huge! That is, it wouldn't fit in the tank. Are you also in th U.S? posting that to here might be a pain, but thanks for the offer. I keep saying it... really friendly people here.

Actually guys, now, and don't laugh- I've seen what I think is a fab little tank. It's a 30L biOrb, have you seen these? I'm talking for the fish now not the crab. Are they any use? See, the fish will be housed in the boys room and I just think it looks cool, plus it's acrylic. Any thoughts? As I write this I know your thinking... "jeez, what is this woman on?!" LOL!
Just remember, everything in America is bigger than in Europe... like your cars are bigger, your buildings are bigger... so it fits that your fish tanks are bigger too! LOL!

I await your thoughts on that one! Ha!

G ! >^..^< !
 

thesixis

AC Members
Feb 3, 2009
307
0
0
New Jersey
:welcome::welcome:
 

witchiepoohs

AC Members
Sep 30, 2009
16
0
0
Ireland
Update: Biff the Crab!

Hi folks!

Just dropping in to say thanks so much to you guys for helping me out regarding our RC Crab. I listened to you all, and then went to work.

The great news is "Biff" is still alive, two weeks or so after getting him! :clap: Yay! He's really looking great!

He is now in 8gal tank (small I know) on his own, in Brakish water, eating a variety of different foods, and basking out of water for much of the day. The tank is big enough for a filter which I love because the water is so much cleaner. It's all good! He's alot more active now. I read here that crabs can play havoc with live plants so he has plastic which he climbs and sways on with the little current. He's not afraid when we go to the tank and usually he waves a claw at us. Like a grumpy old guy... Mr. Magoo! LOL! I also read that they can be more active at night, true or not I don't know but I got him a "moon light" light and it shines down over an Easter Island statue in his tank :cool: !!!

I wonder if it would be wise to think about a tank mate, either fish or crab, is he compatible with anything?
Well, I'm not going to add anything yet while the tank getting established.
I took a few photies but can't seem to load them here, however, here is my album link if your interested...( I'm laughing as I think, "well one red clawed crab looks the same as the next! :laugh: ") but, sure click it if you want to see him anyway! L!

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/albums.php?albumid=1627

Again, Cheers Folks for all your help, I could not have succeeded in this if weren't for you guys! :clap:

G. >^..^< !
 

witchiepoohs

AC Members
Sep 30, 2009
16
0
0
Ireland
Well it must be gremlins!

:huh: The link to my album is not working either :huh:

Anyhooo.... well there you go. He's in my ac photo album!

G >^..^< !
 
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