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 !
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 !