Feeding your puffer crabs

[LadyMinion]

While we were re-arranging the tank last night, we found a crab that had escaped Martha's clutches the day before. When we fed it to her, she grabbed it face on and it pinched her cheek with its claw. She ripped the body from the claw and ate it all, but the claw remained attached to her face! We were quite worried and Sir had to pull it off with the feeder tongs. For a little while afterwards her skin looked stretched and she developed a small black bruise.

Fortunately it didn't appear to break the skin and the bruise has now faded. Martha doesn't seem bothered by the experience and stuffed her face with the usual gusto this morning.

This is not the first time this has happened - Martha recently received a scratch from another feisty crab.

Crabs are a wonderful treat for your puffer, but do remember that their claws can cause damage, especially if it reaches the eye. When buying crabs, try and get ones with missing claws or if you can bear it, cut them off before feeding and offer them seperately.

 

[samsung-401]

Or you could get some Male gold fiddler crabs? There huge claw moves to slow to enflict any damge, and there little claw is brobably to small to enflict any damage. Also , this is going to sound kinda a groosome, but you could rip the crabs claws off, and feed the clawless crab and the claws to the puffer all at once. Just a suggestion .

Since the crab is going to die anyway.

 

[samsung-401]

didn't mean to but in, but I thought I would just add that

 

[SirMinion]

didn't mean to but in, but I thought I would just add that

No need to apologise, that's what this forum is for!

 

[samsung-401]

ok

 

[Fish00]

I put some crabs in my BW tank with "Smoke on the water" my fig 8 he is still trying to eat them but 1 by 1 there dissapearing.

 

[Wisperian]

would you like rap some like elastic bands around it or maybe like use something to dullen the pinchers?

 

[LadyMinion]

would you like rap some like elastic bands around it or maybe like use something to dullen the pinchers?

I think it would be better to just remove them. It's possible the puffer would take a chunk out of the elastic band and that wouldn't do a great deal of good.

Not sure how you could "dull" the pincers....

 

[samsung-401]

some sand papper maybe ? Also you could wait untill the day the crab mults, the shell would be all nice and soft.

 

[outofmybin21]

Personally i think you shouldn`t remove the crabs claws and let nature take its place

This way its fairer altho the puffer should always win but taking the claws off is basically as bad as killing it yourself

 

[Jess]

This way its fairer altho the puffer should always win but taking the claws off is basically as bad as killing it yourself

And putting it in the tank in the first place isnt?

Sorry, had to but in too! lol

 

[LadyMinion]

I know, I know, it's all very controversial. I can't say I enjoy watching it happen but it is all over very quickly.

outofmybin21 - I would love not to remove the claws, but the risk of injury to Martha is one I don't like taking. The one that got her the other day hit very close to her eye. As she gets bigger the threat will be reduced, but for now she is actually quite vulnurable.

The ideal situation is to buy crabs that have already lost their claws. Then you don't have to do it yourself.

 

[samsung-401]

Taking the claws off does not kill the crab it just leaves it more vulnerable.

 

[samsung-401]

The crab can also still fight back with its legs. You also might try some crayfish, but if anything they are more dangerous. mine piched me and made me blead.