Fresh Water Crab?

[shaloric7]

Is there a freshwater crab I could add to my aquarium to help with cleanup? I was considering snails, but heard some negatives. Will a crab live happily with my 8 Buenos Aires tetras and a bristlenose pleco?

 

[MermaidGurl]

Definitely not a good idea. My best friend (who also owns a tank) tried that, not once, but TWICE, and lets just say it was not a good experience. The crab literally ate her fish one by one. She found the skeletons of the fish, nothing but the skeletons, laying on the bottom. To name a few fish it ate would be, a Molly, an siamese/chinese(can't remember) algae eater and I think a Platy, to name a few. So all in all, I would not recommend having a crab in with your fish.

 

[shaloric7]

Ack! OK, thank you.

 

[MermaidGurl]

Ack! OK, thank you.

No problem, just thought if warn you since it would be terrible to go through that.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

I say u are good, I have a fiddler crab also called mini crab and red clawed crabs with an oto, snails, tetras, mollies, angelfish, snails, I think they are a great addition

 

[mistersprinkles]

Go with a red-clawed crab. They are fully aquatic.

 

[Scottyhorse]

What about Amano shrimp? CPO?

 

[Mebbid]

What negatives have you heard about snails?

 

[Scottyhorse]

Was wondering that as well, Meb.

 

[threnjen]

My mystery snails don't clean crap and poop a ton, so maybe he just means negatives as a clean up crew. I don't think they clean much of anything.

 

[GodFan]

No crab that is fully aquatic will work. Most will eat your fish and the others will get eaten. The only one that might work is a mud crab but tbey are rare and I am not even sure they are aquatic. With bn tetras you are limited becausr they are so stinken mean. You could maybe do some kinds of crayfish like a marbles but they eat plants and may hurt the fish.

 

[Scottyhorse]

What about a CPO.

 

[GodFan]

What about a CPO.

The buenos aires will probably kill it.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Oh yea, I forgot to mention, I have a very very tall decoration in my tank, and some water doesn't reach the top, so my crabs crawl up there to get some fresh air
They are very good clean up crew, eat up your left overs and also, mine haven't killed any fish, but two fish did naturally die, and they did eat them, after they died, I've seen my kuhli loaches and other fish swim very close to it and never attempted to catch them
Also, no fish or invert feeds on poo, it's all a myth
If you have algae problems I would recommend nerite snails, trust me, they will keep your tank at bay

 

[MermaidGurl]

You should also take into consideration when the crabs molt, as it doesn't look good when you see the crabs old shell/skin laying around.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Yea, it looks weird, that's why you remove it when he sheds

 

[GodFan]

Yea, it looks weird, that's why you remove it when he sheds

Actually you shouldnt remove it as they need the calcium.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

I add cuttle bone to the tank

 

[GodFan]

I add cuttle bone to the tank

you are ok then. Please proceed.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

How big is the tank?