I really want to have crabs (LOL) in a future tank...

AnnetteG

AnnetteG

getting back to basics
Sep 24, 2007
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Sorry, I don't often find myself typing "I really want to have crabs". :laugh:

Anyhoo! Now that I've got that out of my system... I would like to have some crabs in one of my future tanks, but I'm just wondering what type of fish I can have in with them and what other bottom dwellers, if any.

My hubby wants an oscar tank. I seem to lean towards mostly peaceful community fish myself. I do like Discus and am considering them for my upcoming 55, but only if I can put in other types of fish too. Also, I really like loaches, particularly the dojos and clowns, could they go in with crabs?

Thanks!
 
I have a fiddler in a 55 gallon community tank with a dojo loach and a bunch of other fish.

Its a real pain tho to outfit the tank with easy access out of the water for it(they need it) and having a enough "floaties" to make it happy up top.

I set up a styrofoam "floatie" with a sand bed and cup cut in half for a hidey hole and I dose the sand with crushed up flake and shrimp pellet. mixed with water about once a week, he spends alot of time digging around in it and siphting(sp?) food out. In addition to that I have a bunch of plastic java fern I have wadded up and surrounding the floating styro that he eats algea out of. I would say he stays out of the water at least 70 percent of the time.

Then to top that all off I had to stack a bunch of rocks up in the one corner so he could easily make his way out of the water.

To date he has been the single most expensive inhabitant of an orphaned tank that cost me nothing but pick up time. Prolly about 80 or 100 dollars in stuff just to make him happy.

Plus I have to salt the tank for him. Im doing it lightly and the other fish(dojo included) dont seem to mind but still. I read the dojos dont tolerate salt well...

also it weighs on me that the dojo wants the water to be cooler and the crab wants it warmer.

I wish the aquarium owner who abandoned him and the rest of the tank had done her research and saved me some money and headaches.

BUT on the other hand, a challenge is fun. And the crab is sure cool. Other fish in the tank like it warm too. The dojo loach seems to be doing great...The crab seems to be doin great...

However I dont think they are very compatible with each other and I certainly wouldnt have picked'em mainly because of salt and temp incompatibilities.
 
gosh, maybe I'll stick with shrimp then. I know I don't want to deal with building a climbing and beach area, even as cool as that would look. I saw some really cute red clawed crabs at Petsmart and of course the gal there told me they were 100% aquatic and didn't "need" to be out of the water. SIGH One of these days, I'll just stop asking them questions.

Thanks!
 
Might be different for other crabs but fiddlers need land.

Some other people around here were talking about some other crabs they have maybe they will chime in and give you some advice on something more compatible with the dojo/weather loaches.

I think questions are good. It proves we're learning :^)
 
Canopenner said:
I think questions are good. It proves we're learning :^)
Click to expand...

Oh, I just meant I should stop bothering to ask the people at Petsmart questions. So far, on their advice, I've killed 2 female guppies, 1 male and gotten the tails chewed off 3 of the less aggressive males. Thankfully I haven't bought anything else without looking it up on here and other sites first! The guppies are all doing great now that there aren't any women to fight over.

Anyway, ya'll tell me about some crabs that don't mind being underwater all the time! And won't eat all my fish. :grinyes:
 
I poked around on the net and it looks like red clawed crabs are brackish also...Or highly prefer it.(I am getting away with less salinity with my fiddler tho)

They do need access to out of the water enviroment...(From what I read).

They dont supposedly bother other fish much. But should be kept without other crabs as they may become aggressive...

(so sayith the mighty internets, someone around here prolly knows more...)
 
Hi. I keep several red clawed crabs. They are lively and fun to watch. But very destructive on plants!!! They do need to come out of the water an mine must spend at least half the time out of the water. I've not had any trouble with them chasing fish as the fish (danios and barbs) are fast swimmers and have short fins. I've not had any trouble with aggression just minor skirmishes. They are escape artists an its amazin to see them climb up the filter and heater cables.
 
I had a "red asian crab" (most common one I see in stores), and I think they're fresh. Don't plan on anything small and/or slow with them. Cories could be at risk. They'd need something to get out of the water, too.

The only fully aquatic crabs I know of are aegla. 15-20$ each, they're rare.
 
i have seen freshwater crabs here but they need to go out on land they were trying to escape at petshop haha
 
If you feel up to it, a small saltwater crab tank might be good. SW crabs are (IMO) cooler looking than FW, and don't need land. A 10g SW tank with hermit crabs or one of the other common types could be fun for you.
 
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