Fiddler craps need saltwater?

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yohojones

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Apr 29, 2003
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Fiddler crabs need saltwater?

Fiddler crabs really need brackish water and a place to dry off? My friend has had one for several months completely fresh and submergered.

I just got one the other day and he seems happy enough. He dances on my seashells and climbs the plants.

I don't want him to die but i don't want my pictus and tetras to die either. Will a little salt hurt my freshwater fish?

Yoho
 
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Will someone change the unfortunate title of this thread? It did grab my attention, though, I'll tell you that!
 
This is my first tank. The guy at the pet store said nothing about brackish water. I was just looking for a little information.

Yoho
 
There are versions of fiddlers that don't need BW, but most will benefit from having some salt in their water. And yes, they do need a bit of land that they can climb out of the water. If it's not available, they will try climbing airlines and riser tubes to get out. A well covered tank is needed as well, to prevent them from escaping.

Sorry--I can't make edits in BW--the p will have to stay until Mono can get in and change it.
 
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rotfl:D :D :D i didn't nocie till OG's post lol! i have a RCC and shes doing fine without salt
 
Originally posted by OrionGirl
. And yes, they do need a bit of land that they can climb out of the water. If it's not available, they will try climbing airlines and riser tubes to get out.
Click to expand...

The best Idea I ever saw was at a LFS that took a clear plastic box and inverted it in the front corner of the tank (presumably to show them off might be better in the back)
and placed a tiny airstone under the box with a very small "exhaust" hole drilled in the top. put a rock on the box and you have a dry area for the crab, while it is still submerged. Im sure it takes trial and error to gt the out hole the right size to keep a steady amount of air, but it looked really nice
 
Well... He's escaped. He's done this before and then turned up in the tank again... but this time he's been gone for several days. The tank cover fits almost perfectly around my filter and heater so I have to assume he phased through the glass somehow.
If he did escape I don't imagine he got far because the cats watch the tank all day long.

Yoho:(
 
I had a newt get out--don't know how, since I have the tank completely covered. Found him 2 days later--rinsed the cat hair off and he's fine. Near as I can tell, he must have escaped during a feeding. It happens.

Of coure, they can also cram themselves into some pretty tiny areas. The crabs I had convinced me to just be patient, as they would disappear and I would tear the tank apart to find them. Happened weekly.
 
Newts in fresh. They can't handle salt--it would dessicate them quickly. I have a 5 gallon tank with about 3 inches of water (same footprint as a 10, just half the height), about 1/2 inch of laterite, plants and rocks. A shark pump and a small powerhead with a sponge, heater pad. They've done great, eat anything, very cute to watch. :)
 
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