Red Claw Crabs

[sthomas048]

Hello there,

Im currently investigating options on keeping a crab tank. I want it to be a species tank. Ive looked at marine crabs and have now started researching freshwater/brackish crabs, mainly the Red Claw Crab. A lot of info online but none that is truly comprehensive. So are there any Red Claw keepers here ? I need good information on -

1/ Tank size for one crab
2/ What sort of environment i would need to create in the tank, is it best to avoid plants and just use driftwood ?
3/ I understand it needs brackish water - what is the usual way of successfully creating this ?
4/ My tap water is soft/low PH and ive heard Red Claw Crabs need relatively hard water/high PH ?

Some shots of tanks created for these crabs would be wonderful. Im hoping someone can help, im sure there are lots of people who would love to own Red Claw Crabs but like me are confused and need kind advice !

Thank you.

 

[gadjet]

Hello there,

Im currently investigating options on keeping a crab tank. I want it to be a species tank. Ive looked at marine crabs and have now started researching freshwater/brackish crabs, mainly the Red Claw Crab. A lot of info online but none that is truly comprehensive. So are there any Red Claw keepers here ? I need good information on -

1/ Tank size for one crab
2/ What sort of environment i would need to create in the tank, is it best to avoid plants and just use driftwood ?
3/ I understand it needs brackish water - what is the usual way of successfully creating this ?
4/ My tap water is soft/low PH and ive heard Red Claw Crabs need relatively hard water/high PH ?

Some shots of tanks created for these crabs would be wonderful. Im hoping someone can help, im sure there are lots of people who would love to own Red Claw Crabs but like me are confused and need kind advice !

Thank you.

Hi,
Although I don't have a crab only tank I can tell you that I have a red claw crab in my community tank.

The tank is a 90L tank with 2xangel fish, 5x black neon tetras, 2x Bleeding heart tetras, 2x Bristlenose and 2x Kuhlii Loach.

Apart from a poorly red ballon platy, which he was munching on one morning, and a couple of tussles with a nosey Bristlenose it doesn't bother the fish.

It is a master climber and will occasionaly get into the drip filter for a breather, you would need to have a completely covered tank.

I've read that they do need access to the air periodically.

My water is freshwater (not Brackish) with a PH around 7.2 and quite soft.

He's moulted 3 times so far and seems quite happy hiding in a hollow in a peice of bogwood most of the day and feeding at night.

 

[raptorrex]

Hello there,

Im currently investigating options on keeping a crab tank. I want it to be a species tank. Ive looked at marine crabs and have now started researching freshwater/brackish crabs, mainly the Red Claw Crab. A lot of info online but none that is truly comprehensive. So are there any Red Claw keepers here ? I need good information on -

1/ Tank size for one crab
2/ What sort of environment i would need to create in the tank, is it best to avoid plants and just use driftwood ?
3/ I understand it needs brackish water - what is the usual way of successfully creating this ?
4/ My tap water is soft/low PH and ive heard Red Claw Crabs need relatively hard water/high PH ?

Some shots of tanks created for these crabs would be wonderful. Im hoping someone can help, im sure there are lots of people who would love to own Red Claw Crabs but like me are confused and need kind advice !

Thank you.

As land crabs, these guys need lots of land, 2/3 or more. they are, as you say, brackish. and truly need it. though they tend to use water as a "recreational activity". and by no means live in it. i have heard of breeding @5ppt and even lower. so i usually suggest 5ppt salt (marine)

a 20 gallon square tank, 30 gallon long is fine, split 1/3 water 2/3 land. this should be fine for 10 crabs. (i would warn against keeping one alone. you need to allow some way of keeping the dry land damp (counter intuitive, i know, but true) filtration is up to you. with so little water, in the tank, you could do daily water changes. or you could use a small external. this would allow you to route the return to keep the day damp!
I've not come across any problems with deccor, apart from the crabs tearing it apart. and, generally, moving it about.
they are clever buggers, they all seem born with the middle name Houdini. so a tight fitting lid is a must.
as i say, they don't spend much time in the water. this means they need a heat lamp/strip. the ambient air temperature is more important than the water temperature.


Please Please never keep Redclaw Crab in a tropical aquarium, even if its brackish.

 

[grayshark1956]

Hello there,

Im currently investigating options on keeping a crab tank. I want it to be a species tank. Ive looked at marine crabs and have now started researching freshwater/brackish crabs, mainly the Red Claw Crab. A lot of info online but none that is truly comprehensive. So are there any Red Claw keepers here ? I need good information on -

1/ Tank size for one crab
2/ What sort of environment i would need to create in the tank, is it best to avoid plants and just use driftwood ?
3/ I understand it needs brackish water - what is the usual way of successfully creating this ?
4/ My tap water is soft/low PH and ive heard Red Claw Crabs need relatively hard water/high PH ?

Some shots of tanks created for these crabs would be wonderful. Im hoping someone can help, im sure there are lots of people who would love to own Red Claw Crabs but like me are confused and need kind advice !

Thank you.

I have these crabs, too, and wondered the same thing! I have a community tank with a few crabs, they have land and are doing fine, they don't bother the fish either. I think its because they are fed and have too many places to hide in their rock cave. I plan on starting 2nd tank for them, with brackish type water. Just got them plankton and algae wafers to go along with their other food. They also have driftwood. When I bought mine the pet store never mentioned brackish water, I found out about that later. Crabs need salt with minerals that helps them moult. I've had many people tell me to add marine salt but I won't because it will kill my fish. I use aquarium salt for time being till I get a 2nd tank. But, crabs and fish here sure are happy! Crabs don't bother plants here either, they just love their rock cave! Hope this helps, I couldn't find info on them either.