Freshwater crab ideas?

[waynephinney]

In an attempt to help keep my tank as clean as possible, I would like to get a couple of crabs. I've read that they'll eat just about anything, and between them and snails, I should be able to keep the tank that much cleaner. Granted, they will eat snails, but that's fine too.

The only one I've found any info on is the Red Claw Crab, but it's meant for brackish water and this is a freshwater tank. Some resources say they'll be fine in freshwater, while others say they really are better off in the brackish. I certainly don't want to put crabs in the tank and have them die.

I'm not just getting crabs for cleaning abilities, but I think they would be fun to watch. The only fish I'm concerned about are maybe the two guppies we have. Everything else is big enough or fast enough where a crab would be hard pressed to catch them.

Are there any freshwater crabs out there that are pretty easy to find in a store and can live entirely in fresh water without needing to be on dry land? I've also heard they are good escape artists and I don't want one of my ferrets finding a crab on the floor somewhere if it gets out. The ferret won't be happy with being pinched by claws and between the four ferrets, the crab won't survive.

Does anyone have any freshwater crab advice? I know even less about these than I do about tropical fish.

 

[quadrider5953]

I think the crabs need air from above the surface to breath, so if you wanted to keep them you would have to have part of a rock exposed so they can get air.

HTH

Kyle

 

[waynephinney]

There aren't any crabs out there with gills that don't need to surface?

I certainly don't want to lower the water level, and since I've heard they're good at escaping, I don't want to let them get too high up, because where the filter is on the tank, there is an opening they can get out of.

 

[talloulou]

The red claw crab and the fiddler crab, the two most commonly available around here, need to be able to come out of the water at times. They are also great escape artists and very hard to keep in the tank with hang on the back filters and what not.

 

[waynephinney]

I guess I might have to rethink this crab thing. I don't want a fiddler because he might kill fish, and the red needs brackish water, so he may not fare well in my fresh tank.

Any other options for bottom dwelling freshwater creatures that will help clean the tank? Other than plecos I mean.

 

[ringfinger]

Ghost Shrimp. They are fun to watch, and about 25 cents each.

 

[waynephinney]

Do I have to worry about them getting out of the aquarium?

 

[Bhunsucker]

No Ghost Shrimp will stay on the bottom. Just be careful of what else you have in the tank or the Ghost Shrimp will disappear on you.