Crustacean Pics

[Kevin_D]

Any members on here keep Crustaceans? (Crabs, Anomurans, Shrimp, Woodlice, Crayfish etc..) either terrestrial, semi-aquatic or even marine species?

At the moment I keep Cardisoma armatum (Rainbow Crabs) Coenobita clypeatus "Puerto Rico" and "Barbados Giant" (Land Hermit Crabs) and Aegla c.f platensis "Argentina" Im hoping to keep plenty of other species though now I have more room, i'll be getting soon a Trinidad Blue Land Crab, some Trinidad Red Land Crabs, Halloween Crabs and hopefully some others, please post pictures if you keep any, heres some of mine (old pictures) will try to get updated pictures once I get a new camera.

Rainbow Crabs

Coenobita clypeatus "Puerto Rico"

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Awesome pics and crabs you have there !

 

[Invader Xan]

Oh my... That's a beautiful rainbow crab you have there!

I'm interested though... any pictures of your Aegla?

 

[Kevin_D]

Thanks, I havent been able to get any pictures of my Aegla yet, as they arrived after my camera had stopped working, i did have 14 of them, Ive just sent out 4 and will be keeping all the others, and adding to them hopefully once I get a larger tank (their currently in a 18 inch tank, but most are only 2cm or so, and have around 6cm of substrate to burrow into) I'll get some pictures of my Aegla once I get a new camera, very soon hopefully. Im also getting another species of Crab soon, Geosesarma sp Vampire, that are able to reproduce in captivity with only freshwater, and are very colourful, does anyone on here keep those?

 

[Invader Xan]

Geosesarma Vampire! I don't keep them, but the moment I have the space (and spare money) for another tank, I plan on buying a few of them! I love their purple colour.

The only reason I haven't already got one is because to my knowledge, like all brackish/freshwater crabs, they require land to sit on. Sometimes I wonder if you could keep one in water and just take it out to play with it occasionally, like a hamster.

(I'm kidding, of course. )

 

[Kevin_D]

yeah, from the info I got, and looked up on a German-based forum they (vampire crabs) actually require more land than water, they only need a small amount of water in order to help shed, its a good idea to heat the water though, and the land, Im sure I remember reading about a Crab from Lake Malawi that is freshwater, and completly aquatic? I cant remember where I read it though?

 

[Invader Xan]

Yeah, there are a few of them out there. They don't tend to be available to hobbyists though, sadly. Besides, sesarma and geosesarma species are relatively non-destructive and easy to keep. Many crabs are as destructive as crays...

 

[Kevin_D]

Got another Crustacean today, approximately 50 River Shrimp, from Maidenhead aquatics, some about 2-3cm, theyre meant as livefood for my Cave Fish, Sirens and Mudskippers, they appear to be too quick for the Sirens, and the Cave Fish dont seem interested in them though, the Mudskippers (all three mentioned are in seperate tanks) seem to be eating them, theyre very interesting in their own right, so hopefully they can settle in the tanks and help clean up leftovers.

 

[three-fingers]

Nice looking crabs, specially that rainbow crab.

Got another Crustacean today, approximately 50 River Shrimp, from Maidenhead aquatics, some about 2-3cm, theyre meant as livefood for my Cave Fish, Sirens and Mudskippers, they appear to be too quick for the Sirens, and the Cave Fish dont seem interested in them though, the Mudskippers (all three mentioned are in seperate tanks) seem to be eating them, they're very interesting in their own right, so hopefully they can settle in the tanks and help clean up leftovers.

I'd be interested to see pictures of them if you get the chance, also you wouldn't happen to know which species they are? I think they are brackish though, as I have asked shops about them in the past (though they aren't available here), so I hope you have some luck with them!

 

[Kevin_D]

Im told they are from the River Thames in London, if that narrows it down at all? the ones in with the Sirens are doing great, hardly any, maybe even none? has been eaten, the ones with the Mudskippers and the ones with the Cave Fish were eaten the same day though, I think they may only reproduce in brackish water, like some other River Shrimp species.

 

[three-fingers]

All I can think of is Crangon crangon, which is the marine species you always see in rock-pools (it does live in brackish estuaries sometimes too though).

Unless the shrimp are more look more like large mysis maybe?

Should be interesting to see how well they cope with the higher temperatures too .

 

[Kevin_D]

The Sirens temperature is set at 22c, so not that high, they look more transparent than C. crangon, they look like the Ghost Shrimp in this picture http/naturalaquariums.com/plantedtank/051101.JPG

 

[Invader Xan]

All I can think of is Crangon crangon, which is the marine species you always see in rock-pools (it does live in brackish estuaries sometimes too though).

I'd wondered what species they were. I used to catch them in buckets when I was a little kid.
(Don't worry -- I always put them back).

Out of interest, has anyone tried recreating a British rockpool biotope in an aquarium? It strikes me that there are a number of interesting species that could be kept. Shore crabs are hardy little things!

The Sirens temperature is set at 22c, so not that high, they look more transparent than C. crangon, they look like the Ghost Shrimp in this picture http/naturalaquariums.com/plantedtank/051101.JPG

It's a little hard to tell what that species is. From the large carapace and the serrated rostrum, I'd guess a young macrobrachium species of some kind?

 

[Kevin_D]

Ive kept Ligia oceanica before, they didnt breed though unfortunatly, Im not sure about mixing different rockpool animals though, wouldnt Shore Crabs eat or kill everything else in with them?

 

[Invader Xan]

Not sure TBH... Though I've found them in the same rockpools as shrimp, anenomes and even small fish before. I'd assume you'd just need to build your "rockpool" large enough that the crab could stake out it's territory. Though I'm by no means an expert on shore life. It just struck me as an interesting idea.

Shore crabs are primarily opportunistic scavengers, aren't they?