Crabs?

[dzsigmond217]

I saw some small crabs at the store and was curious if they would harm my community fish if I got them?
Was just a thought..

 

[Davo86]

No species would really be suitable for a freshwater community setup

Rainbow crabs are large and aggressive
Red clawed crabs and fiddler crabs are brackish species that will die off usually within a month if kept in freshwater

 

[dzsigmond217]

okie dokie!
Thanks!

 

[Shea]

okie dokie!
Thanks!

I few years ago when I had a much larger tank than I have now, I bought a crab which the shop assured me would fit in with my existing community tank. I had bought my fish from them over a number of years and trusted them completely. However when the crab started to get bigger (it shed its shell) it caught one of my gouramis and was actually eating it from the tail up. It was horrible and I would never have a crab in with fish again.

sheila

 

[billy0510]

i have had similar circumstances with crabs. they actually climbed out of my tank and my dog had a crab snack!!! the only crabs i want is when i go to red lobster and have all u can eat crab legs mmmmmmmm good

 

[crazyaussie]

crabs are for salt water tanks not fresh water so they wouldint last long so if u want crabs you should get a salt water tank

 

[raptorrex]

crabs are for salt water tanks not fresh water so they wouldint last long so if u want crabs you should get a salt water tank

really, how about the aforementioned Rainbow crab? nothing saltwater about that, a true freshwater dweller! nor are Redcrab saltwater, they are simply brackish. but none do well in community's, they all need dry land. some people have had some luck keeping Redclaw crabs in a community, providing they have some dry area and a brackish pool. as for them dying after about a month? there are members of this forum who have kept Redclaw crabs in community's for three of more years, providing only a small area of dry and a little bath of brackish. but Rainbow crabs are to be kept on their own, not only do the reach 8 inches across, they will attack and eat anything, including the keeper!

 

[crazyaussie]

Rainbow crab? i have never heard of one or seen one most of the crabs belong in salt
theres not many fresh water crabs but lots and lots of salt water ones

 

[raptorrex]

Rainbow crab? i have never heard of one or seen one most of the crabs belong in salt
theres not many fresh water crabs but lots and lots of salt water ones

its a shame you haven't heard of the rainbow crab, especially as you are presuming to give advice in the subject of Aquarium crabs!

lets look closely at your comment. of the Crabs on this planet the majority are indeed sea dwellers. of these only a small number actually, during the normal run of life, would ever be seen on the shore. these can be called "totally Aquatic". those we see on the beach, and in freshwater streams. do not actually live in water, the mealy need it to survive, theses critters are the ones we keep in "freshwater" aquaria, are called Land crabs. true the majority of "land crabs", still need brackish water to breed, and need access to it for health, but live their lives as land critters, burying themselves when the tide comes in, if they are estuary dwellers, or bedding down in the damp earth on the edge of rivers. Anyone who has kept, say Redclaw, crabs in a species tank, will testify to the amount of time they spend out of the water. i am not sure if the exact figure, but i would guess it is close to 90% of the time on dry land.

incidentally, some of the biggest crabs on earth are Land crabs, and they only see water once a year to spawn!

 

[blanket]

okie dokie!
Thanks!

I few years ago when I had a much larger tank than I have now, I bought a crab which the shop assured me would fit in with my existing community tank. I had bought my fish from them over a number of years and trusted them completely. However when the crab started to get bigger (it shed its shell) it caught one of my gouramis and was actually eating it from the tail up. It was horrible and I would never have a crab in with fish again.

sheila

I too have a new tank, but it's saltwater, and we thought the crab died, and his little brother was eating him, so we flushed both of them. Then low and behold, another crab appeared!! Where was it all this time? I didn't realize crabby had shed his skin and the other crab was getting a good munch out of it!! Now for the questions. I have a saltwater tank so can the crab live with the other damsels without having a rock to climb up on? It's a 75 gallon tank, full of rock but none above the surface.

 

[BecciMac1987]

Bobo thats the most disgusting pic Ive ever seen, totally freaked me out!