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FAQs on Freshwater Crab Foods/Feeding/Nutrition

Soapdish Crabs, Fiddlers, Ghost Shrimp
hello:
please, I was wondering if y'all could help me.  I have what was sold to me as a Soapdish crab in a 2' x1' 6" tank with about 4 or 5 inches of fresh water.  Carl, as he is called, has a 2" wide body and is probably about 6" across including legs.  he has relatively short (compared to my fiddler crabs) eye stalks and is a reddish brown color with orange legs and claws that have reddish brown "designs".   the tips of his claws are whitish gray.  he has easy land access but hardly ever comes out of the water.  is that weird?
<Mmm, not necessarily>
  he eats live minnows and frozen peas.  anything else I could feed him for a little more variety?
<Other meaty foods>
  please don't say crabs eat anything, he won't eat carrots or broccoli.   is it safe to feed him hot dog?
<Mmm, no... too fatty>
  he'll eat it and seems to like it but I took it away because I'm wondering if it could be harmful with all that sodium.  should I remove any left over fish parts from the water?
<Yes, I would>
sometimes he just eats half a minnow and the other half  just floats around in the filter current.  will it muck up the water or make it unsafe for him in any way?
<Could. I'd remove all uneaten food>
I have had him for probably 8 months and he seems to be doing well.   I just want to know if you guys and girls have any tips to make him happier and/or healthier.  I read something on your site about iodine supplementation for crustaceans? anything else?
<You could monitor, adjust biomineral (mainly calcium) and alkalinity... has this animal molted while in your care?>
what is krill, where do I get it and how do I "soak it in vitamins"?
<Euphausiids... liquid vitamins... just putting a few drops on for ten, fifteen minutes before offering...>
I love my soap dish crab(s) and would really appreciate any help y'all could give as there is virtually zip on the web about them.
also, for anyone wondering, Carl (as with all Soapdish crabs, in my experience: I have 2 males, I lost a female when she wondered into Carl's territory) is extremely aggressive and will decimate anything it can catch, including other Soapdish crabs of equal or  greater size. does not play well with others. I've even heard of one wasting an Oscar.
<Have seen this sort, level of "aggression">
oh, why might a fiddler crab in similar tank conditions up and die for no obvious reason.
<Is a brackish water animal...>
a not too old/big male that seemed to be thriving was fine one day and upside down dead by the filter the next. he shares the tank with 2 females and one other male which doesn't currently even have its large claw. I don't suspect foul play, I am afraid there is something wrong with the water or something. the tank has been in operation for at least 6 months and has a good filter. I've heard a terrible rumor about fiddler crabs just dying after a while in fresh (not brackish) water but I've had a lot of these wonderful, mostly peaceful crabs and this is a brand new occurrence. any thoughts?  might the same thing happen to Carl?
<What is the make-up of your source water? You may have hard, alkaline water that "works" for both these species>
just one more thing, I promise. I employ a multitude of ghost shrimp as janitors and I read on your website that it was easy to breed them. that is very exciting to me, please tell me more!
I am so glad I found your website, I hope you can give me a few pointers.
thanks,
Scott
<Use your computer search tool/s... much written on Ghost Shrimp. Bob Fenner>

Re: Soapdish crab
hello again!
Carl has molted! about a week after starting the iodine treatments, Carl (Thai freshwater- Soapdish crab) molted.  could this be directly related to the addition of iodine?
<Yes>
unfortunately,  it did not go well for the big guy and he lost a leg and his larger pincher.
<Evidence of? Likely a lack of biomineral (calcium) and alkalinity... provided in foods, water...>
the next couple days were very tough for both of us, as he just sat there and twitched and I was terrified that he wasn't going to make it.  the next day I came home from work to find him on his back and motionless.  I nearly lost my mind with grief until I noticed his mouth apparatus was moving. I very gently touched the tip of his claw and to my great relief he sprung to life, trying desperately to flip over.  the poor guy just didn't have the strength! he was still very soft, so I decided to let him be rather than possibly injuring him by flipping him over.  after a couple more days he eventually started to consume his exoskeleton and move around the tank.  Carl's gonna be ok!  whew!
now for the questions: I've noticed that since the molt his carapace and claw look very strange- its a very dull tan-gray and none of his normal patterns, like the "H"  on his back, are visible. it just looks very worn, or something. I know crabs will sometimes come out of a molt a different color, but the way Carl's shell looks makes me think its related to his traumatic molt. any ideas?
<Either lack of nutrition, water quality... or will develop color, pattern in time>
Also, is it possible to over dose them on iodine?
<Oh yes>
should I add the drop only when I do a complete water change or anytime I replace water that has evaporated?
<Best to do with (weekly) water change regimens>
keep in mind I have a 10 gallon filter in about 4 gallons of water, does that make a difference as to how fast the iodine is getting used up?
<Yes>
One more thing: I really want to change my crab tanks to brackish but I have read that once crabs are in freshwater for so long, they cannot be switched to brackish. is this true?
<Not so. Bob Fenner>
thank you in advance.
Scott

Halloween Land Crab – 03/17/07
Hi, thank you for taking the time to read this.  I have what the pet store called a Halloween Land Crab.
<Gercarcinus sp., maybe G. lateralis.>
He is not set up in some amazing aquarium, he is just in a plastic cage.  I have a water dish for him that's 2 inches deep that he climbs in and out of.  The bottom of the cage is filled with calcium sand and aquarium pebbles.
<Ideally, he needs a sand substrate deep enough and just damp enough to burrow into, and needs enough saltwater and enough freshwater, each in separate containers, deep enough to fully submerge himself - though the land area is by far the most important.>
He has been doing really well eating bits of fruit such as apples, oranges, pineapple and also an occasional guppy.
<Needs more meaty foods, preferably things like human-consumption shrimp (raw, frozen and then thawed) and fish; krill, meaty fish foods, and also Nori (seaweed) would be other important foods.>
But recently three of his legs fell off on his right side!  What is going on?
<Likely he is very deficient in something that he needs - saltwater, perhaps, or iodine....  Feeding the foods mentioned above, especially shrimp, krill, and Nori which are rich in iodine, will be very important.  Supplementing the food with a reptile calcium supplement will be helpful, as well.>
He was not in a fight with another crab and I've never experienced him going through the "shedding process"! Is he unhappy or sick? How can I tell what's going on?
<sounds like a state of disease, not a normal molting situation at all....  I would urge you to improve this critter's living space and food.>
If this is below what you guys do, then I'm sorry to waste your time,
<A question is never a waste of time.>
I just need simple answers and can't seem to find them anywhere.
<Thank you very much for searching for your answers, and for asking questions.>
Nick
<All the best to you,  -Sabrina>

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