Fiddler Crabs

[tekkamaki]

I currently have a small tank with 2 fiddler crabs and 4 red crabs. I've had one red crab and one fiddler die within a month and I'm wondering if there is something I'm missing.

The substrate is calcium enriched sand which I have heard is good for them and I have a large shallow bowl in the middle with brackish water and several shells for the red crabs to hide in. Their diet is bloodworms and they seem to eat a LOT. Is there something I'm missing with this tank or are these just fragile creatures?

 

[Ethos]

Well, how big is their tank? 5G's? Way too small IMO.
They probably killed eachother or got killed by someone else.
Crabs are agressive to eachother, and usually you need 20G's for ONE crab.

 

[tekkamaki]

Well, how big is their tank? 5G's? Way too small IMO.
They probably killed eachother or got killed by someone else.
Crabs are agressive to eachother, and usually you need 20G's for ONE crab.

A 20 gallon tank is really impossible for me right now. At the pet store they said they would even be ok in even one of those small plastic critter keeper sets and they had many in a 10 gallon. I know pet stores don't really know best but it would really be difficult to have a 20 gallon tank for such a tiny crab.

 

[moray]

You are mixing crabs with different needs, the redclaws spend most of there time in water, though they still need land. Fiddlers spend most of their time on land or in shallow pools and only go in deeper water sometimes. The brackish water needs a filter, and the land needs to be moist. Crabs are scavengers and need a mixture of food, they need some vegetation in their diet, and a mixture of other food, not just bloodworm, try mussels, fish, prawns, peas, etc. Crabs will kill and eat each other if they don't have enough space, 5g is much to small they desperately need a bigger area.

 

[tekkamaki]

You are mixing crabs with different needs, the redclaws spend most of there time in water, though they still need land. Fiddlers spend most of their time on land or in shallow pools and only go in deeper water sometimes. The brackish water needs a filter, and the land needs to be moist. Crabs are scavengers and need a mixture of food, they need some vegetation in their diet, and a mixture of other food, not just bloodworm, try mussels, fish, prawns, peas, etc. Crabs will kill and eat each other if they don't have enough space, 5g is much to small they desperately need a bigger area.

I'll probably have to end up returning the fiddlers. I'm sure some pet stores will say anything to get you to buy a pet but I want it to be somewhere it can be healthy and happy. As for the red crabs, if they can hold out in a five gallon tank for two more weeks, i can set up a 10 gallon aquarium for them when I get home.