Red Clawed Crabs:

[summat fishy]

hello!
rite ive seen some red clawed crabs in my lfs and they seem to be being kept in fresh water so i was hoping to save a few before they die! i currently have a 20 gallon set up with bogwood and java moss/fern with a black sand substrate. i plan to rid of my fish as i want a change and i was wondering if i can rid of the fish, and just add a bit of salt to the water? will the plants tollerrate it? also what kind of and how much salt would i need to add? im desperate to keep crustatians! thansk in advance summat fishy

 

[summat fishy]

oh and also some of my bogwood exits the water so i know they can get out if they want to!

 

[raptorrex]

hello!
rite ive seen some red clawed crabs in my lfs and they seem to be being kept in fresh water so i was hoping to save a few before they die! i currently have a 20 gallon set up with bogwood and java moss/fern with a black sand substrate. i plan to rid of my fish as i want a change and i was wondering if i can rid of the fish, and just add a bit of salt to the water? will the plants tollerrate it? also what kind of and how much salt would i need to add? im desperate to keep crustatians! thansk in advance summat fishy

it is not always required to get rid of your fish, though if you go brackish you will need to.

you can add a little land section and give the crab a brackish pool or pond, leaving your tank fresh!

if you go the whole hog, its worth doing some research, redclaw crabs are a land creatures, not aquatic. so given the opportunity the spend the vast majority of their time on dry land. if you go crab only, you will need no more than 1/4-1/3 water and the rest dry, making the dry area sand will allow the crab to burrow, down to the damp sand and sleep there, as they would in the wild. you will need no more than six to eight inches of water too.
they are very good escape artist, so a secure lid is essential, you will also need a heat lamp of some sort, to heat the dry area.

 

[three-fingers]

They should ideally live in brackish'ish water, look to add about a teaspoon per gallon of water of marine salt, the stuff used in marine aquariums. If you have a hydrometer then aim for around sg 1.004, how much salt isn't crucial though as long as its not too much. Lots of people keep them in freshwater, but this very often shortens their lifespan.
If your lfs is keeping them in freshwater, make sure you very slowly adjust them to the salt water, take as long as possible to do this, preferably over 3 hours. Java fern will easily survive brackish waters and is actually found in brackish waters in the wild, dunno about java moss.

 

[summat fishy]

They should ideally live in brackish'ish water, look to add about a teaspoon per gallon of water of marine salt, the stuff used in marine aquariums. If you have a hydrometer then aim for around sg 1.004, how much salt isn't crucial though as long as its not too much. Lots of people keep them in freshwater, but this very often shortens their lifespan.
If your lfs is keeping them in freshwater, make sure you very slowly adjust them to the salt water, take as long as possible to do this, preferably over 3 hours. Java fern will easily survive brackish waters and is actually found in brackish waters in the wild, dunno about java moss.

oh rite thanks for the info! rite i will reply properly later becasue i have to rush to work but i will be qasking many questions! i have 2 cats similar to those in your picture ( i cant spell the name so i wont even try) and im worried they would eat the crabs. thanks summat fishy

 

[summat fishy]

hello again i was just wondering would feather fin catfish or banjo catfish eat red clawed crabs? thanks in advance summat fishy

 

[three-fingers]

Are you giving them a brackish pool to go in? If not then the fish cant deal with the salt.
It is very possible the catfish will eat the crab when it moults.