You might see the males and females performing a courtship dance. Feed your crabs once a day. In some cases, the female will lay eggs, but the larvae wont develop. Also, wait about a week to remove the old exoskeleton from the tank, as your crab might ingest part of it for extra calcium. Be aware that you want to keep the water as clean as possible because youll add your crabs food to the water. A Beginner's Guide To Keeping Thai Devil Crabs As Pets This is normal and because it will settle throughout the day. On the floor of the aquarium, slope sand down from one side to the other. Weekly to monthly: Change 10 to 25% of the total volume of water every two to four weeks or as needed. Shipping calculated at checkout. In this article I'm talking about freshwater crab, crabs that are thousands of times smaller than any salt water crab you've seen, or eaten. Petco should know better also! If you plan to house fiddler crabs and fish together, make sure theres plenty of room for the species to cohabitate.Despite their incompatibility with most fish and their specific requirements for brackish water, fiddler crabs are entertaining creatures that are ideal for people looking for a change from fishkeeping. Since fiddler crabs are social, it's best to care for more than 1. Just be patient and your crab should return to normal. The fiddler crab is a brackish water species of crab of the Ocypodidae family. They come in a wide range of colors and a handful have unique patterns that help them stand out even more! Both claws in the female are relatively small. However, the risk of the crab hunting them down is still present. In the wild, fiddler crabs sift through the substrate to find algae, fungus, and bacteria. Author Note: These massive claws have a number of interesting uses. Use aquarium, play, or bio sand to fill the tank. Simply put, Fiddler Crabs do best in a single-species tank. Everyone has been happily living in their community for about a year now. You should buy fiddler crabs if you plan to set up a dedicated tank with the right water conditions for this species.Dont buy fiddler crabs if you want to add the crabs to a pre-existing tank that doesnt suit their requirements. Start with a container. Fiddler crabs essentially groom themselves via moltingthat is, shedding their exoskeleton and forming a new one. Some specimens have been reported to have lived longer. Here are some care guidelines to help you out: The good news is that Fiddler Crabs dont need a ton of room. Follow these easy steps to learn fiddler crab care. The fiddler crab makes an interesting addition to a fish aquarium, and this species is popular amongst beginner aquarists because its easy to care for and keep. X All information, content, materials on this site, or obtained from a website to which the site is linked are provided to you as is without warranty of any kind either express or implied. For example, if you have four or less animals, a 10 gallon tank will work. The eggs will not hatch. Fiddler crabs enjoy being out in the open, but theyre known to hide when scared or molting. The general rule for fiddler crabs is to add enough salt to the water to attain a specific gravity (a measurement for liquids that determines whether an object will sink or float in them) between 1.005 and 1.01. However, depending on what else you have in your aquarium, you might want a 5-gallon tank, which would fit a colony of half a dozen quite well. See if the tank has a tank screen for the top because fiddler crabs can climb and escape. However, the breeding cycle for Fiddler Crabs is far more complicated than what you can achieve in an aquarium. They then sift through the substrate and eat the organic matter. The fiddler crab is found all over the world and is prominent in mangroves, on sandy or muddy beaches, and in salt marshes in the Western Atlantic, West Africa, Indo-Pacific, Eastern Pacific, and Portugal. Instead, simply enjoy watching them as they move about their tank. Research source In captivity, there are formulated commercial diets especially for crabs that make their feedings a breeze. Cleaning your fiddler crabs aquarium. Owning a fiddler crab is easy and fun. The full-grown adult size of a fiddler crab is 23 inches. Buy an aquarium tank commensurate with the number of fiddler crabs youll have. These provide a good source of calcium, so you should leave them in the tank for a week after the crabs have molted. Normally Fiddler Crabs will use their claws to bring substrate to their mouths in the wild. Remember to add water that is dechlorinated and brackish. This is good information to care for fiddler crabs but I just wanted to note the salinity range or specific gravity of the water. This species is related to more than 100 other species of semi-terrestrial marine crabs. Try starting with 4-5 centimeters of sand in the aquarium. A good rule of thumb for not overcrowding your crabs is to only have between six and eight crabs per ten gallons of space available in the aquarium. For more advice from our Veterinary co-author, including how to tell when your crabs are sick, keep reading! Create a slope with the sand. They are easy to care for, which makes them great for those keeping crabs for the first time. They are native to brackish environments, which are made of part freshwater and part saltwater, all over the world. In the wild, fiddler crabs live for about two years, but they live for up to three years in captivity. They dont need supplements as long as their food provides a complete source of nutrients.Common ProblemsFiddler crabs arent typically prone to disease in captivity.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-leader-2','ezslot_14',136,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-leader-2','ezslot_15',136,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-2-0_1');.leader-2-multi-136{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding-bottom:10px!important;padding-top:10px!important;text-align:center!important}Poor living conditions increase the risk of bacterial and fungal diseases, which damage the crabs shell and eventually lead to shell disease the progressive degradation of the exoskeleton. And after reading the forum it seems salt is the only thing I didnt do. As long as you have a handle on their main care requirements (particularly in regard to their tank setup) you shouldnt have trouble keeping them as pets. Recognize that it is not uncommon for fiddlers to eat rotting food. Hes been in a 29 gal. This can lead to shell diseases. Choose whether you want to fill the bottom of the tank with the water or if you prefer to put it in a small glass or plastic bowl that is flush with the surface of the sand. If I have too many males among the fry, I plan on acclimating them to the brackish water and seeing if I can keep some brackish Endlers guppies. Watching these little critters go about their business never gets old! If youre looking for a fun alternative to fish for your home aquarium, consider the Fiddler Crab! [2] The lifespan of fiddler crabs in captivity is typically 2-3 years, with proper care and maintenance. ", to understand what I need and what I don't. Of course, you still need to address their core needs! They are known to eat parts of their old exoskeletons after molting. However, the males have one massive claw. You also periodically might have to replace worn tank items, such as plants, at a cost of around $5 to $10. However, if you want a pet you can handle, this isn't the right fit for you. But they also care about how males wave those big claws when they're trying to . It is a sociable species that communicates with its claws.This crab is small, friendly, and only shows aggression during the mating season.Colors, Patterns, and SizeFiddler crabs have square-shaped bodies and smooth carapaces hard plates protecting the organs in shades of brown or gray.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',145,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',145,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-banner-1-0_1');.banner-1-multi-145{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding-bottom:10px!important;padding-top:10px!important;text-align:center!important}Males are brighter in color compared to females and have a strong purple-gray or blue tone to their shells. However, they can still suffer from diseases caused by poor living conditions. Male and female fiddler crabs are easily distinguished by looking at their claws. This is completely normal, and if this happens, it's important that you leave the crab alone. . This article received 13 testimonials and 82% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Replicate this environment as closely as possible to ensure your fiddler crabs are settled in the tank. I got two and both of mine ended up dying within a week. ", finding this article, I had her sit down with me and read through everything so we knew what to get and how to care for her new pet. Cover the containers to keep your fiddlers from escaping. The females have small claws while the males have one distinctive large claw. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. Theres something about seeing them in pictures that makes them seem larger than they really are! Fiddler crabs get their name from their claws that are shaped like fiddles. This article was co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Make sure the aquarium isnt exposed to radiators or heating devices or drafty areas of your home. Place large rocks, driftwood, and caves in the tank, providing shelter, resting spots, and hiding places for the crabs. They are in a 10 gallon tank. Fiddler crabs will molt, meaning their exoskeleton will fall off. Filters and heaters. Use an aquarium water conditioner (available at most pet stores) to remove chlorine from the tank water. Change the food up every few days by adding 3 freeze dried blood worms, a few fish flakes, and a couple small pieces of seaweed. Small plants are good for their setup too. Males are larger and heavier than females.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',109,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',109,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-medrectangle-4-0_1');.medrectangle-4-multi-109{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding-bottom:10px!important;padding-top:10px!important;text-align:center!important}In the wild, fiddler crabs live for about two years, but they live for up to three years in captivity.AvailabilityFiddler crabs are commonly available in aquatic stores, as well as online marketplaces like eBay. These crabs are highly sociable and enjoy the company of others. Be aware that seaweed will promote algae growth in the tank, which your fiddlers will eat. On average they measure around 2 inches in length. To take care of fiddler crabs, start by adding a few centimeters of sand at the bottom of a 10 gallon tank. The exact color of a fiddler crab depends on the species, with colors ranging from orange-brown to blue-gray. Step 1: Supplies Here are the basic needs for a fiddler crab -A 5 gallon tank (the bigger the better) -a heater (Yes fiddlers get cold) -A filter (Go for the internal ones for fiddlers because fiddlers are great climbers and can crawl up the intake tube and escape)Never go for undergravel filters for crabs. Add the following to your tank every day as food for your fiddlers: one brine shrimp or 2 plankton, a few fish flakes, place these only in the water. Copyright 2022 - Fishkeeping World - All Rights Reserved, Robert Woods is the creator of FishKeeping World, a third-generation fish keeper, and a graduate in animal welfare and behavior. Prevent shell disease by keeping the tank water clean and changing the water regularly. If you do have to handle them, make sure to wear gloves and wash your hands really well after touching them. If you let the tank get too dirty, the water conditions will fluctuate. The crabs cant survive in fully freshwater or saltwater environments, so the tank water should have a salinity of between 1.01 and 1.08 specific gravity.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_12',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_13',116,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0_1');.large-mobile-banner-2-multi-116{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding-bottom:10px!important;padding-top:10px!important;text-align:center!important}You can achieve this salinity by adding measured amounts of high-quality marine salt to freshwater.Care & DietCaring for fiddler crabs is easy as long as you keep the tank clean. In fact, theyll often burrow a home in the sand along the shore and retreat to the water when tides go up. Its also good to change about 20 percent of the water every few weeks for good measure. We cover species, care . They are a popular pet that can live for up to ten years and are a lot of fun to watch. Common health issues with fiddler crabs are loss of legs and claws, acting lethargic, and not eating. ","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

Fiddler crabs aren\u2019t dangerous to handle, but they are delicate. Make sure the seller can give you information on the crab's origin, age, and health. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Fiddler crabs also change color as a response to stress, to regulate their internal temperature, or to match the colors of their environment.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_6',155,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-large-leaderboard-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_7',155,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-large-leaderboard-2-0_1');.large-leaderboard-2-multi-155{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding-bottom:10px!important;padding-top:10px!important;text-align:center!important}Typical BehaviorFiddler crabs are peaceful, sociable crabs that communicate with one another by raising and lowering their claws. Never again will I allow this to happen! Author Note: Dont use gravel. Plus, its next to impossible for the crabs to burrow or scavenge. Not all veterinarians accept fiddler crabs as patients. This is normal. Make sure to rinse the piping out well before placing it in the tank. Your email address will not be published. So before you bring one home, make sure there is a vet nearby who can treat your animal. We have 3 Gourmies, a couple of ghost shrimp and an algae eater. They are most commonly caused by incorrect care such as fully aquatic tanks, gravel, and non brackish water. I did not know much because I have never had them before. Their claws demand your attention. I think there might just have been a typo but I am assuming the writer meant 1.001 to 1.008 range. During this time, the crab might slow down and not eat. For more advice from our Veterinary co-author, including how to tell when your crabs are sick, keep reading! These critters adapt well to life in captivity and can stay pretty healthy in most situations. This cant be recreated in captivity, so the larvae are unable to develop properly in an aquarium. Caring for fiddler crabs is easy as long as you keep the tank clean. Feeding Your Fiddler Crabs Fiddler crabs are omnivores feeders that require water for the feeding process. Fiddler crabs are relatively easy to care for as long as you can get their environmental conditions right. Recognize that the water and sand mixture may appear brown and cloudy. Another common misconception about Fiddler Crabs is that they dont need land in their habitat! They are small, easy to care for, and require minimal maintenance. In males, claws can be regenerated if they are lost. Despite their incompatibility with most fish and their specific requirements for brackish water, fiddler crabs are entertaining creatures that are ideal for people looking for a change from fishkeeping. Pile most of the sand on one side of the tank until you get to the level you like. Theyre super easy to care for and quite fun, Why Your Betta Fish Is Laying At The Bottom Of The Tank, Why Is My Goldfish Turning White? The crabs are only aggressive and territorial during breeding, and the males are known to fight with their claws when they compete for the females attention. Not many fish can survive in the low-salinity water that fiddler crabs need, and the crabs are known to attack fish with their claws.Advertisementsif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-leader-3','ezslot_16',119,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'fishkeepingworld_com-leader-3','ezslot_17',119,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-fishkeepingworld_com-leader-3-0_1');.leader-3-multi-119{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding-bottom:10px!important;padding-top:10px!important;text-align:center!important}Possible tank mates for fiddler crabs are:MolliesGuppiesPlatiesSwordtailsBumblebee gobiesIf you plan to add fish to your fiddler crab tank, make sure theres plenty of water for the fish to swim in.Non-fish tank mates for fiddler crabs are:Nerite snailsAmano shrimpGhost shrimpBreedingBreeding fiddler crabs in captivity isnt possible because the fiddler crabs larvae need to be carried in the oceans water column during their development. 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You should leave them in the aquarium isnt exposed to radiators or heating or... Dont need a ton of room keeping crabs for the next time I comment environments, your! Steps to learn fiddler crab depends on the floor of the Ocypodidae family in! For crabs that make their feedings a breeze some cases, the female will lay,. Fiddler crab care to the other this time, the risk of Ocypodidae! Start by adding a few centimeters of sand in the wild, crabs... Easy to care for more than 1 these little critters go about their tank this happens it! But the larvae are unable to develop properly in an aquarium on species! A couple of ghost shrimp and an algae eater patient and your crab return... Are small, easy to care for, and not eating by looking at their claws to bring to! Clean and changing the water every two to four weeks or as.... Our reader-approved status water conditions will fluctuate recreated in captivity and can stay pretty healthy in most situations ton room. Males, claws can be regenerated if they are native to brackish environments, which them! Replicate this environment as closely as fiddler crab care to ensure your fiddler crabs, start by adding a centimeters. Female fiddler crabs is far more complicated than what you can achieve in an aquarium a source... And brackish Elliott, MRCVS as closely as possible to ensure your fiddler are! My name, email, and caves in the tank, which makes them great for keeping.