Crabs And Mollies.

[kniesh]

recently I decided to turn a couple of my spare tanks into some sort of invertebrate tanks. I decided to set up a 30gal for a Red Clawed Cray (which I now have) and a 2.5 foot 20gal for some Red Chinese Crabs with the possibility of putting them together in future in my 40 gal 4ft (depending on the Crays ability to handle salt). Anyway, I have added the salt and a mature filter now and a lot of ocean rock so that about a quarter of the tank is now out of water for the crabs to wak about (I cant get a pic s my camera is broke), it also creates a lot of cave action under the water for them. So I have added a little bit of sea salt but would like to know;

1- What salinity would the crabs pefer?
2-Will my 3 Mollies, currently in a freshwater set-up prefer this tank and be ok with the crabs? I am presuming being primarily top-dwellers they should?
3- How many of these crabs could I keep in this set-up?

The set up is filled close to the top, being 12" high. At one end I have built up the Ocean Rock so it creates a lot of caves an territories underwater and about a 1 foot long platform out of the water for them to rest on, also a few other smaller platforms dotted about. The rock then gradually declines into the water so it is easy for them to get to the top. It leaves over half the tank free for open swimming for the mollies and the obviously a bit more around the rocks also.

Thx for any thoughts in advance.

 

[kniesh]

Anyone have any clues on the Redclaw Cray in a mildly salty setup? I really need to know now as I am just gonna upgrade my 4ft 40gal to a slightly salty setup and keep my Cray and Crabs in a setup pretty similar to the one mentioned above, just larger. I am hoping to do this tonight as I have a bit of spare time. This is largelt due to my internal filter in my 40 gal having gaps at the back which small fish can get in. I have found a lot of live ones in there and a couple of dead now, so if I split the fish into the other 2 with 'normal' filters and the crabs an cray wont be able to get in this idiotic filter then.

I did read somewhere that the cray can be tolerant of quite high salts.

 

[raptorrex]

you will have to check how your crabs do, but between 1 and 3 grams per liter should do the trick.

i think you will find Redclaw cray will stand quite high salt content, and 3 grams per liter will be no problem. imo.

shouldn't worry about you mollis being with ether. but the disposition of the Cray, will need to be judged.


i'd start with 5 crab in your setup. make sure you have some heat from above for the crabs, when they are out the water. you may need to add some sort of reflector lamp.

 

[kniesh]

Thx Bob. I will probably leave things the way they are for now then. I will be buying the crabs at the weekend probably and will put them in the 20 for now with the mollies. After that I will decide my best plan of action. I would love to get this set up properly though for them all.

I will deffo try and get some pics up soon. One camera seems to have broken and the other 2 I can't find the connections to the computer while my phone I cant find the software cd to install. I am very well organised as u can see.