Crab set-up with Kritter Keeper

[RackinRocky]

I am planning on getting a couple of red claw crabs, and I have a large Kritter Keeper that holds approximately 4 gallons. I don't know if this is enough space. I am going to get more substrate (right now I have both Carib Sea Tahitian black and some blue gravel mixed together), marine salt, and a 15 wt. incandescent bulb for over the tank. I already have a Whisper in tank filter (the smallest one they make, and it's currently seeding in an established tank) and a 50 wt. heater.

I attached a pic. The land/water ratio is approximately 2/3 land, 1/3 water, although I think the water ratio is slightly higher than that. With hardly any room, I have the clay pot, the elbow PVC and small driftwood pieces, plexiglass dividing land and water, and a rock for them to climb on in the water. Not much room for anything else. I am thinking I need to get a 10 gallon tank. What do you think? Also, if I keep the Kritter Keeper,


I'd have to put the plastic top on, and an old glass aquarium top on top of that to put the light on it. (The glass top doesn't quite cover the entire top, darn it!) If I got a 10 gallon, I'd need to buy a glass top, and I should be set. Here's a pic. What do you think?

 

[Jev12]

What type of crab?...and I personally would just go with the ten gallon if you have the money...and it give you more room to work with...and also I personally wouldn't use the gravel because waste and unbeaten food will fall between it and dirty the water and rot on the land part

 

[RackinRocky]

Oh dear... that would be stinky! So I shouldn't use any gravel at all? Do you think it would be better if I kept about 4 inches of water in a 10 gallon, and just a few rocks for the crabs to get out of the water? and substrate? Sounds easier as far as maintenance too. Oh, I was going to get either red claw or fiddler crabs. Thanks for that insight! I might have made a big mistake.

 

[Jev12]

You could use the sand and they would probably be happy if you sloped the sand up to make like a land area and then have your water and the drift wood and some rocks...because I'm pretty sure they spend quite a bit of time out of the water...and they will also like to burrow into the sand especially when they molt...and I would also add some fake plants or if you can find a live plant that could work with them that would be good too

 

[RackinRocky]

I was actually going to do the slope method, until someone posted on another board that the sand would rot and get really smelly unless it was turned over and mixed up weekly. And even changed out now and then. I'd be afraid of injuring a crab that way, so I thought maybe the plexiglass to separate the land and water would be better. And I was worried about them not being able to burrow and molt, so I figured the water with only rocks and driftwood wouldn't satisfy them as, from what you and others have said, they NEED to dig. So as you can see, I'm going back and forth as to how to do this.

 

[siva]

You definitely need a 10 gal minimum for red claws or fiddlers.

I used the slope method for quite sometime, had lots of MTS (malaysian trumpet snails) in the sand so it was constantly stirred, and I did not have problems with stinky sand.

I can't speak for red claws on this issue, but fiddler crabs do not need to dig to molt. My crabs hide in random little holes all over the place to molt, and in fact, I've never seen one burrow into the sand to molt/found molts in the sand.

 

[RackinRocky]

How did you vacuum the sand without sucking up the snails? I'd be afraid of that happening. Maybe that's what I need to do then--get some MTS. I also didn't know that fiddlers didn't need to dig to molt.

I'm planning on getting the 10 gallon at Walmart, and a screened top, and light with hood. I'm hoping the heater in the water will keep it humid enough in there. That's a big concern, as I live in the high desert, and it's VERY dry here. I think that might be my biggest hurdle. I want to do this right, but have read how some people keep losing their crabs, and I don't want that happening to me. I want their environment to be as pleasant as possible.

 

[Jev12]

If you have a petco close by you can go get a ten gallon there since they are having their $1 a gallon sale and get one of those glass aquarium lids and that should hold the moisture nicely

 

[siva]

Well I have MTS and various other snails in all of my tanks so I rarely complete a water change without sucking up snails. I siphon into buckets so I do pick them back out, but I imagine those who use a python or similar vac system just send them down the drain or outside or whatever..

 

[RackinRocky]

Ooooooh! Petco's having their $1 a gallon sale? I was wondering when the next one would be. And a glass lid-PERFECT!

I have red cherry shrimp, and I suck them up in my little siphon too, and take them out of the bucket, so I guess I could do the same with the snails. Thanks--you guys are great! I'll post pics when I have my crabs, in their set-up.

 

[MJSerik]

How big does their dollar a gallon sale go up to? I'm assuming I can't get a 125 for $125.

 

[twiddlemuffin]

How big does their dollar a gallon sale go up to? I'm assuming I can't get a 125 for $125.

I think either 55 or 75.

 

[MJSerik]

Bummer.

 

[RackinRocky]

I went to Petco, and of course, someone had just bought 18 of the 10 gallon tanks, and they won't have more in until Friday or Saturday! But I did get some more gravel and sand, a fake plant, a good basking rock, a glass lid, Instant Ocean, and cuttlebone. Came to over $50, yikes! I didn't get any lights, as they didn't have 15 wt. spiral incandescent. I will order that online. My question now is, what dome do I use with it? I want to be sure the light will fit in the dome. I saw this dome online. Would the spiral light, once I get it, fit into this dome?

Mini Deep Dome Light Fixture - 5 1/2 in. - 100W| thatpetplace.com

 

[MJSerik]

Very curious as to who needed 18 10 gallons, funny nonetheless.

 

[RackinRocky]

Yes, I thought it was weird too, and just my luck!