Red Claw Crabs

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watters1006

AC Members
Sep 2, 2004
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I purchased 2 red claw crabs and would love any input on them that any have to offer.
Housing,salt/fresh,food etc.
They are cute little dudes and I have in a 10 gal tank.What should I place in there for them? Decorations,plants hiding spots?
thanks Tina
 
They're actually brackish and require land, preferrably a half land, half water setup would be ideal. They need to breathe oxygen so it's not possible to keep them in a fully submerged environment. To make the water brackish you'd need marine salt (not aquarium salt), a hydrometer and a separate mixing pump and bucket.
 
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cdawson.... curious.... what's the difference between aquarium salt and Marine salt? Is one mainly for a Saltwater fish tank while the other is for Brackish?
 
Marine salt contains a variety of trace nutrients, to replicate to some degree the ocean. More than just NaCl--calcium, magnesium, etc. There's a wide variety of elements that are found in the oceans in very small amounts, and most are crucial for marine organisms. Since brackish water is a mix of fresh water and marine water, these trace elements are also present and needed by brackish inhabitants, naturally diluted from full strength marine water.

"Aquarium Salt"--well, it might just be NaCl, but they don't really ever say, do they? Certainly no reason to belive it contains the additives needed for a healthy marine system, much less a brackish one.
 
thanks cdawson!
the pet store I purchased them from had them in regular water and submerged all the way in water with a filter.I have them in a 10 gal. tank half full with well water and stuff for them to crawl on to get air.They sold me betta food for them and didn't know the sex but they both have big claws so I assume they are males.
I was told by others that they can survive in water without salt.But, I want to make them happy little crabs lol
thanks Tina
 
ok, a little confused... maybe because I'm not so salt-savvy.... but I might be interested in a brackish..... sorry if I seem a bit ignorant.

ok, my thought wasalways that a brackish was a FW environment mixed with a little of a marine environment.... in other words a diluted version of a SW tank.... is it really necessary to use different salt?
 
Maybe I didn't phrase that right--marine mix salt is what is used to make brackish water. Marine mix, like Instant Ocean, should be used for either marine tanks or brackish tanks. "Aquarium Salt", such as is offered by Doc Wellfish and advertised for use in freshwater tanks, is innapropriate for either marine for brackish tanks.
 
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