Red claw crabs- clean up crew?

[Paul_MTS]

I have a 10 gallon with 3 new red claw crabs in, and I'ved noticed there's a build up of algae on the side and wondering it's there nething I can put in with them that will sort that out?

 

[Cian McLiam]

You could try a siamese algae eater, they are fast enough to get out of the crabs way, as long as the crabs are well fed. Otocinclus would probably do ok as well.

10 gallons is very small forthree crabs, are they males or females? With a squash you could put two femals into a 10Gallon, three males will just eat each other when they molt.

 

[Paul_MTS]

I don't have a clue what sex they are, how do you tell??

Hmm my LFS man seemed to think 3 would be fine. There's also a small (10cmx10cm) platform in the hood.

 

[Cian McLiam]

Males have larger claws, but the real giveaway is the shape of the flap under the body, males have an almost pointy, thin flap, females have a larger rounded flap.

I only ever kept 2 in a 2ft tank and often found then going at each other, just watch them carefully. Its great they have a platform to climb up on though. Make sure you have some bogwood and loads of places to hide and a filter!

Ken

 

[Paul_MTS]

Ah ha, I'll take a look at them tonight, they haven't had a bust up yet, they'ved all gone there different ways as there's tonnes of places for them to hide, I did arrange flower pots with rocks to hold them up but they seem to to enjoy going round the side of the pots instead

I haven't sorted a way fro them to access the platform yet as the lid has warped so they would beable to escape at the moment, I'll get my dad to get me another bit at work tomorrow give it a good coat of ronseal and should be up by end of the weekend.

I don't have any bogwood for that tank yet though, will need some smaller bits to interlock.

Cheers.

 

[Paul_MTS]

When should I expect them to molt? There very small at the moment not even an inch across I doubt.

I have the tank set at 79F and there getting froozen foods, I bought one of the blister packs along with them!!

Does anyone have some pictures of the belly of male and female crabs? It's going to be hard to sex them as I can never see all the claws in the same time.