Crabs

[Tempestuousfury]

I have heard mixed things about the need for dry land. Do they or do they not need dry land?

Also, mini and red... something or other (1.5" vs. red with 6") what sort of fish, if any, are the suitable with?

Thanks

 

[The-Wolf]

I have heard mixed things about the need for dry land. Do they or do they not need dry land?

Also, mini and red... something or other (1.5" vs. red with 6") what sort of fish, if any, are the suitable with?

Thanks

depends on the species of crab; rainbow crabs Cardisoma armatum for instance are a land crab and would therfore need a sand bank system.

on the other hand the Red crab Perisesarma bidens (most commonly seen in the trade) are a fully aquatic species and don't require a land mass at all.

however a rule of thumb, if it has claws/pincers then it will predate on fish, the bigger the claw/pincer the bigger their pray, so most are unsuitable for comunity type set ups.

 

[HendrixTheOscar]

I had totally aquatic crabs (red crabs) that were no bigger than 1.5"-2" which were fine with my fish except that they eventually all got picked off by my oscars (the fat gits!). They raised their claws at them but to no avail.

If you've got small fish that only eat flake or small pellets or something then you shouldn't have a problem with these. They certainly know how to get about and if you have plants (no matter how flimsy) they'll climb them. While you're looking for them around the bottom they'll be be up at the top of one of them swaying in the current quite happily. They're pretty cool.

Pete 8)

 

[Tempestuousfury]

That's 1:1. Maybe a poll is in order?

 

[moray]

on the other hand the Red crab Perisesarma bidens (most commonly seen in the trade) are a fully aquatic species and don't require a land mass at all.


Sorry Wolf but as far as I know these crabs do need to be able to get out of water, they need "land", whether in the shape of a bank or a rock or a piece of bogwood standing out of the water.

Personaly I don't think mixing any crabs with fish is a good idea unless you are willing to lose the odd fish (if they are small) or the odd crab (if the fish are large).

 

[HendrixTheOscar]

Apparently i've already voted in your poll (which i haven't). Strange.

Anyway if you've got big hungry fish and you want to give them a change in diet, get the crabs in there. Nutritional, yummyyyyyyy.

If you've got big fish and plenty of hiding places for the little crabs then i can't see you having a problem at all. Crack on and let me know how you go.

Cheers,

Pete

 

[Tempestuousfury]

I have small community fish.

It's just that you mentioned cichlids, and I might get a customer who wants to keep the crab(s) with fish.

As for me, I could probably house a few in my five gallon or in the fry tank (a fry eaten here and there wouldn't bother me).

 

[The-Wolf]

Sorry Wolf but as far as I know these crabs do need to be able to get out of water, they need "land"

hmm, maybe that is why mine died then.
I stand corrected

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Silly bigbad. Anyways, when I first started out keeping fish, I had a crab, which ended up dying. My thoughts were that it was because it needed land, though it was also an uncycled tank.