Rainbow Crab

[BeckyJay]

Just wondering does anyone know for sure how long rainbow crabs live, I've tried to research it and and I've got anywhere from 5 to 30 years. I've had mine for 4 years now and i'd just like an estimate for how long he's got left. I'm not considering getting rid of him or anything i'd just like to know. Anyone have a clue?

 

[Davo86]

Just wondering does anyone know for sure how long rainbow crabs live, I've tried to research it and and I've got anywhere from 5 to 30 years. I've had mine for 4 years now and i'd just like an estimate for how long he's got left. I'm not considering getting rid of him or anything i'd just like to know. Anyone have a clue?

Depends entirely on the setup you keep them in, If you take into account they are truly a land crab in nature and will travel hundreds of miles during their lifetimes walking from pool to pool, and set up their tank accordingly then 10-15 years should be possible,

However with most setups 1-4 years is more common due to unsuitable setups

In the wild 20-30 years is possible,

 

[BeckyJay]

Just wondering does anyone know for sure how long rainbow crabs live, I've tried to research it and and I've got anywhere from 5 to 30 years. I've had mine for 4 years now and i'd just like an estimate for how long he's got left. I'm not considering getting rid of him or anything i'd just like to know. Anyone have a clue?

Depends entirely on the setup you keep them in, If you take into account they are truly a land crab in nature and will travel hundreds of miles during their lifetimes walking from pool to pool, and set up their tank accordingly then 10-15 years should be possible,

However with most setups 1-4 years is more common due to unsuitable setups

In the wild 20-30 years is possible,

Thanks for the reply
Yeah I keep Marco, who's 5 years old at the minute, in a large land tank with 2 deep pools at either end.
So hopefully I should have him for quite a while longer.

 

[saltynay]

They are brackish aswell and as inverts there metabolism is directly linked to their temperature.

 

[Davo86]

They are brackish aswell

These tend to do quite well in both fresh and brackish water though, as opposed to sesarma bidens (RCC) which definitely requires brackish water for its long term health

 

[saltynay]

True they are from the intertidal zone so can do well in FW however I would say they are more freshwater tolerant rather then designed for that type of aquatic zone. RCC are just a disaster waiting to happen I wouldn't even say they are freshwater tolerant it flat out lacks the minerals they require. In freshwater RCC are slowly dying from their introduction very much like the hawaiin shrimp that you can buy in "bioballs" it takes them 3 years to die because they can live in such an extreme range of conditions nothing to do with their well being or suitability for that habitat for long periods.