Red Claw Crabs Dying

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katem

Registered Member
Jan 4, 2007
2
0
0
Hey,

I'm hoping a pro can help me out here!

I had a lobster for ages, he finally kicked the bucket and rather than the tank go to waste, I thought I'd clean it out and try my hand at looking after some crabs.

Bought 4 redclaws from the shop, they lasted 2 days and died, I wasn't sure whether it was the shock or not, water levels were fine. My only worry was they may not have had enough calcium.

On returning to the shop they gave me some more crabs and coral/gravel to use just in case it was calcium. They snapped open the dead crabs to see if they were poisioned and tested my water - couldn't find a reason for them dying. Bizarre!

The new crabs lasted three days then went a bit lifeless, i put them in a hospital tank and they livened up, cleaned out the main tank and put them back, but they didn't last..One day later they were all totally lifeless again. Only this time I couldn't wake them up with some cold.

I took the tank to the shop had them check out everything including checking the electricity on the heater..just to ensure it wasnt shorting out and killing them all seems fine. Perfect infact!

They gave me two more crabs and a credit note (bah i just want them to live!) the crabs have done well - 4 days, but today I came home to find them lifeless again, right now i popped them in the sink under some cold water to see if that could wake them up. It seems to have worked for one, the other seems pretty dead.

Any idea how I can save my crab or where I may be going wrong? the shop has absolutely no idea they have just put it down to shock...

I know I'm not scary enough to kill!! I thought it may be poisioning of some sort because they all seem to go at the same time.

They've been getting fed a couple of bottom feeder tablets, they seem to enjoy them so I don't think it's the food. I even changed the pellets when I got the second bunch of crabs just in case. We have a strong water filter and a bubbler in there to make sure they have enough oxygen. The tank is massive, probably way too big for just two crabs to live in! They have rocks to climb up out of the water and many nooks and crannies to hide in.

I don't have any plants in the water, may this be the problem?

Thanks in advance!
 

Red Tailed Wonder

AC Members
Feb 21, 2005
932
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are you providing brackish water? these crabs require salinity of about 1.004 and a ph of 8. If kept in freshwater they will not do well.

RTW
 

katem

Registered Member
Jan 4, 2007
2
0
0
yeah that's fine (had the shop test that too) I've put the crab that's survived in a hospital tank, a couple of inches of water and plenty of rocks to climb out. Hope he livens up!!
 

Sploke

resident boozehound
Staff member
Oct 20, 2005
6,797
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South Windsor, CT
Real Name
Matt
what temp is your tank water at? If cold water wakes them up, maybe the tank is too warm for them?
 

Ghost_knife

AC Members
Nov 17, 2005
2,482
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18
hmm, odd, I've had some strange crab happenings too but not as drastic as that..perhaps a cycle is occouring? or perhaps it's too warm?
 

Siren

Mythological Creature
I know this is old, but did you ever figure out what was the matter with your crabs?
 
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