Looking for information on upkeep of an aquarium for Fiddler Crabs

[Openmindfields]

I've recently bought 3 fiddler crabs, they are situation in a 10 gallon tank.

There's an area in the tank that's land, so they can come up out of the water as they please, I've also added aquarium salt to the water, and have been feeding them shrimp pellets and fish flakes periodically here and there.

My question is, what's specific to owning fiddler crabs that I should know, general maintanence, their life cycles, etc etc. How about molting? The internet is so riddled with spam that I couldn't find any decent information about their entire molting process.

I'd love anybody to post whatever they know, and I'll accumulate the info and go from there.

Much appreciated!!

 

[mfdrookie516]

Moved to Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion

 

[TheMurrays]

Hey, I don't know if you're still needing advice, but I am starting a fiddler crab tank as well. It looks like you are doing everything that I will be once I get crabs. I have done some research, so maybe I can help.

Fiddlers need land as well as water, and they need brackish conditions. Brackish means there is enough marine salt (not just regular aquarium salt... I believe there is a difference) to make the water salinity at 1.005 to 1.010. You can purchase a hydrometer to measure the salinity of the water at a pet store. They are inexpensive.

Fiddlers are scavengers, and therefore will eat most anything. When they molt it means they are healthy. Leave the exoskeleton in the tank, as they may eat it to get calcium. Take it out if it is not all eaten within a week or so. Don't worry if they lose a leg or claw in the molting process because it should grow back.

Here is a fun blog from a person who has had fiddlers. I don't know anything about her or the other things she posts, but I found the fiddler info interesting! And What’s The Deal With All the Fiddler Crab Stuff? « Soul Mosaic

Here is my fiddler crab build, just for fun: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/fiddler-crab-build-163198.html

 

[TheMurrays]

Also, they live 1-2 years in captivity. It would be good for them if you had a filter in the tank, and also a heater in the water.

 

[KaylNeko]

Brackish means there is enough marine salt (not just regular aquarium salt... I believe there is a difference)

There is. I think aquarium salt is basically kosher salt--that's what I've found in researching it. Just no iodine and no anti-caking agents. Marine salt has lots of added buffers and metals and such to make water a marine-type environment--not just NaCl.

 

[TheMurrays]

There is. I think aquarium salt is basically kosher salt--that's what I've found in researching it. Just no iodine and no anti-caking agents. Marine salt has lots of added buffers and metals and such to make water a marine-type environment--not just NaCl.

Thanks, good info!