Is It Possible To Breed Fiddler Crabs?

[DaleRussell]

Hello, I'm new to the group. I just joined because I was doing a web search for breeding fiddler crabs. 
I'm a fairly experienced aquarist with a 30 and a 55 gal tank, both heavily planted (so no salt added!). I setup my 55 gal tank about 2 months ago and after letting it cycle for a month began adding a few things including 3 fiddler crabs (2 males, 1 female) from aquariumfish.net. Like I mentioned, they've been in the tank for about a month now. Sitting here at my desk and looking at the tank (directly in front of me) I suddenly count 4 crabs!!! The two males are each on a platform, and the female and another one on the moss attached to driftwood. The fourth being a little smaller than my female. I'm just trying to figure out how this is even possible, I even had my wife come in and count with me to make sure I'm not imagining things! She was here with me when I received the shipment and confirms that 3 arrived (as ordered) and were added to the tank. Any thoughts on how this is even possible??
 
Dale Russell

 

[LoveMyFiddlers]

Hello, I'm new to the group. I just joined because I was doing a web search for breeding fiddler crabs. 
I'm a fairly experienced aquarist with a 30 and a 55 gal tank, both heavily planted (so no salt added!). I setup my 55 gal tank about 2 months ago and after letting it cycle for a month began adding a few things including 3 fiddler crabs (2 males, 1 female) from aquariumfish.net. Like I mentioned, they've been in the tank for about a month now. Sitting here at my desk and looking at the tank (directly in front of me) I suddenly count 4 crabs!!! The two males are each on a platform, and the female and another one on the moss attached to driftwood. The fourth being a little smaller than my female. I'm just trying to figure out how this is even possible, I even had my wife come in and count with me to make sure I'm not imagining things! She was here with me when I received the shipment and confirms that 3 arrived (as ordered) and were added to the tank. Any thoughts on how this is even possible??
 
Dale Russell

Hi Dale!  I'm really new here, having just signed up so I could communicate with you! :0)  I think what happened is, the supplier sent you an extra little one to be sure you received a live shipment of what you ordered...and quite possibly, when putting them in your tank, the little buggar took off and you flat out didn't see it...To put your mind to rest, so that you don't think you are totally Fiddler crazy... (LOL)  why don't you call your supplier and ask...We love our Fiddlers, have 3 males and 3 females...they are so much fun to watch...we've had them about 2 months (?) now...they have moulted and are doing fine.  I can't tell, but is there a place they get out of the water?  The tank looks really pretty!  Name is Rebecca!  Nice to meet you! :0)

 

[stanleo]

I don't know about fiddler crabs exactly but I do know that many marine animals that have planktonic larval stages spend years in those stages and travel from the depths of the ocean in the daytime to the top at night in order to feed. That's why it is difficult to do in the home aquarium. You have to match salinity factors, nutrients, and pressure changes as well as light levels. If it is possible, it would be incredibly expensive and time consuming. The only benefit would be that we would no longer have to remove species like tangs rom the oceans if we could breed them but you would have to breed a LOT of them to make a beneficial impact.

 

[HarmonyRose]

Fiddler Crabs have been bred in captivity before, in fact, I think a member here has done so before. Certainly isn't very common though.

My fiddler crab has eggs underneath her I would really like to know how to keep them alive . im guessing from what ive read it is really hard but i dont see why i couldnt put them in a salt water tank with simulated currents and planktonic food... any suggestions?

 

[iliveinazoo]

Unfortunately I lost the paper that I found on Fiddler breeding during a house move a little while ago and I never properly managed to set up a breeding tank as I would have liked. 
 
There is a good article on breeding mudskippers in the May Issue of Practical Fishkeeping Magazine and when I get home I'll take the name of Author for you - you may be able to contact them for some advice since Fiddlers and Skippers come from the same type of environment.
 
If your water isn't at marine levels it may be worth slowly starting to adjust your tank salinity and covering your filter intake to get ready for hatching.

 

[iliveinazoo]

The Author is Hans-Georg Rupp, I've had a flick through the article but unfortunately it doesn't give salinity level.

 

[HGRupp]

Have a look to the articles of mine here:
https/independent.academia.edu/HansGeorgRupp
or
https/www.researchgate.net/profile/Hans_Georg_Rupp/contributions
 
Maybe you´ll find some answers
 
Hans-Georg

 

[iliveinazoo]

That is brilliant thank you

 

[Mike305]

I'm finally in the right place to write! Do you know of anyone that had mini fiddler crabs breed in their tank? My two new crabs happen to be a male and a female. Now I'm trying to find out if they will get along better than if I had gotten 2 males? And what other food to give them because my fish go after the sinking pellets,.....just waiting for a crab to go after a fish!

Hey greyshark1956 i am new here and a new user i was doing some research on fiddler crabs on YouTube and i had saw your comment from on the Internet so i just wanted to help but here's the information i found for you bro thats if you want to know if you are going to breed baby fiddlers or thinking about breeding baby fiddlers In the wild, he will eat algae and anyorganic matter he finds. In captivity, you can feed a fiddler crab a variety of commercial foods, including algae wagers, sinking pellets, specialized crab food, dried bloodworms, shrimp and krill. You can offer blanched zucchini, blanched peas and raw or boiled fish.

I'm finally in the right place to write! Do you know of anyone that had mini fiddler crabs breed in their tank? My two new crabs happen to be a male and a female. Now I'm trying to find out if they will get along better than if I had gotten 2 males? And what other food to give them because my fish go after the sinking pellets,.....just waiting for a crab to go after a fish!

 

[Mike305]

Grayshark1956 no i do not i never had a fiddler crab and don't know anyone who has one sorry but i did help you out on what type of food the babies eat