help! fiddler crab mishap!

[Fish Novice 12]

I have a 10 gallon freshwater setup with 2 blue 3 spot gouramis (yes I know the gouramis will outgrow the tank but I'm working on it). I went to Wal-Mart today and stopped by the fish section to pick up more fish food. I saw these cool looking crabs and when I read the description about them it said that they were freshwater fiddler crabs and they did well with gouramis so I bought one. I brought him home and adjusted him to my tank and now he seems happy, but I did some research (I didn't think about researching them before I bought one, silly me) and I found out that they need brackish water and dry land! I need help please! Money time and space are all factors of my problem, I need creative solutions!

 

[CharlieKlein]

Best thing would be to rehome it. Return it. The setup a I've seen with land access have a piece of wood going above the surface, and the level about 4 inches lower than normAl. The main reason it is not for your tank is salt,'and the brackish.

 

[Fish Novice 12]

I would return it or regime it if I could but the problem is that walmart doesn't accept returns on fish, and I don't know anyone who has a brackish tank. I have a very small 3 gallon tank that I used for my goldfish... do you think that might work?

 

[ztigris]

Get on Craigslist. The little tanks are often 5-20 on there.

 

[Fish Novice 12]

Alright ill be looking... how long can the crab survive in freshwater? I just want to know in case I cant get a tank in time

 

[CharlieKlein]

Go on google and search (local fish stores near (your city)) and see what comes up. Most people on here (myself included) recommend not purchasing livestock from wallmart, persmart, petco, or any chain stores . Simply because they don't specialize in fish and don't keep the healthiest fish(not bashing the stores, just saying not the best place to buy fish). Most local fish stores take fish and inverts that aren't wanted anymore.

 

[Fish Novice 12]

Yes I realize that but I live in a small town where walmart is really the only place to buy fish. The nearest petsmart or perform is 1 1/2 hours away

 

[CharlieKlein]

Oh, well then I'm not sure the best option, inguess the 3 gal? Anyways, does wallmart have aquatium salt? You'll need that and land access

 

[Fish Novice 12]

I'm not sure if walmart carries aquarium salt... I will check as soon as I can

 

[Fish Novice 12]

Unfortunately, walmart doesn't have aquarium salt. Is there any way that you could make some with table salt?

 

[Lt.]

My LFS said (bad way to start a post, I know, but what they've told me about fiddler crabs is all I know) that the fiddler crabs are just fine in FW, but do better in brackish, they also said that they don't live any longer or shorter whether theyre in FW or brackish.

 

[Autumnsky]

Options...

Any salt which has no additives, such as Morton Canning salt, available at the grocery store or Kosher Salt, sea salt with nothing added / NOT IODIZED.

Ingredients: Salt

Make sure you dissolve the salt in TREATED warm water and then cool to appropriate temp.

The crabs will escape if there is ANY way out or any holes, not kidding at all.

Take a look at some habitat tanks. There are so many options.

You can add appropriate rocks, DW or sticks for them to climb on, you can put him in the 3 gallon and then lower the water so it can get out of the water and move around (like on the stick not out of the tank).

Or if you are just trying to get him in a better situation, add the treated water to the rocks, scoop rocks to one side and add water so the low side has water but the rocks have a place for him to stand on.

 

[butterfly_koi]

I have had Fiddlers in the past and yes they thrive in brackish conditions. You may get away with 3 to 6 months in freshwater but that could be pushing it. Also aquarium salt does not create brackish water products such as Instant Ocean does. Aquarium Salt is basically Sodium Chloride it does not contain the trace minerals that are essential for brackish species. It also has buffering capacity to help keep your Ph in high end range which is essential when keeping many brackish water inhabitants. Seachem also makes a salt for brackish tanks as well.

 

[phin]

I have had Fiddlers in the past and yes they thrive in brackish conditions. You may get away with 3 to 6 months in freshwater but that could be pushing it. Also aquarium salt does not create brackish water products such as Instant Ocean does. Aquarium Salt is basically Sodium Chloride it does not contain the trace minerals that are essential for brackish species. It also has buffering capacity to help keep your Ph in high end range which is essential when keeping many brackish water inhabitants. Seachem also makes a salt for brackish tanks as well.

Seconded. Adding "freshwater aquarium salt" - sodium chloride - will not create a brackish tank.

As far as fiddler crabs are concerned, They will survive for a while (months to a year) in fresh water. They don't live longer than a few years even under optimal brackish conditions. You also don't need dry land per se, just access to air. A piece of driftwood sticking out of the water works fine for this.