Red Claw Crab
<Hi Anthony, MacL here. The only red claw crab I know of is actually a
brackish crab often sold for freshwater. Is this what you have?> I purchased a
red claw crab from a local Fish store about 2 weeks ago. I believe the crab is a
female due to the very small claws. Anyway, recently she has had her abdomen
hanging open. <Maybe releasing eggs?> I figure she was getting ready to molt,
but she hasn't done anything for 2 days now.
She has already molted once since we have had her and it didn't take long. She
has plenty of different kinds of food. Also these past 2 days she is flipping
herself over on her back. <Not a really good sign.> Can you tell me what is
wrong? <I'm just guessing here but I think you probably have her in fresh water
and she needs some salt. I also think it might be a difference in PH as
well.> I have searched through the internet, but cannot find any information on
Red Claw Crabs. <I did a search on Google and came up with tons of thing on
them. You might try www.google.com> Thank you for your time and patience.
<Anthony you might do the research on them and decide if it needs to be in
brackish water or not and make a decision from there.>
Anthony <An excellent site re this species:
http://wrongcrowd.com/aquaria/crab/ RMF>
Injured Red Claw Crab
Hi, firstly thanks for such a great website! The information here is comprehensive yet easy to understand.
Unfortunately I have a problem with my Sesarma bidens crab. The other night whilst cleaning out the tank I did not notice the crab (Colin)
burrowed under a plant, as he is almost always hiding under an ornament on the other side of the tank during the day (or breathing
sitting out of the water on top of it).
He just recently molted (about a week ago) so I thought I would leave him under the rock and
clean the tank around him. Well I dumped the plant in a bucket (with Colin underneath it) and proceeded to vacuum out the gravel and remove
other ornaments to the bucket. It was only when putting the ornaments back that I noticed Colin at the bottom of the bucket on his back... I
immediately picked him up and put him in the tank but he didn't move, I put lots of little bits of food in front of him and left him for the
night thinking the worst.
When I came back in the morning he was on his back again but when I went to lift him out of the tank assuming he
was dead he started moving his legs frantically, anyway I righted him but noticed that 5 of his legs were not working as well as one claw (I
think they must have been broken in the accident) he was attempting to move around but the legs were preventing him, I left him for the day
came back and he still had not moved despite attempting to with his working legs, so I amputated 3 of the legs at the base (not the claw)
he is now a lot more mobile however he is unbalanced due to missing 2 back legs (resulting in him overturning and not being able to right
himself frequently/a few times a day).
I have also since noticed that one side of his mouth is not working (i.e. the exterior movable parts
of his mouth that he uses to clean his eyes) he can still move it a little but cannot properly function.
My question is: Is there anything I can do for Colin? I am aware that crabs can regenerate limbs during a molt but has he just
sustained too much damage?
<I hope not>
My main concern is his mouth as I cannot see whether he is eating properly. Would it be kinder to just kill
him now or try to aid his recovery?
<I would not euthanize this animal. It may well recover>
It has been three days since the accident and he is still defending his food against the fish (a few
platies) but I cannot establish if he is eating the food or whether the platies are eventually managing to take it all. In this situation
could a premature molt occur or could he partially grow back before a molt?
<Not before, but might molt again sooner, shrink in body size>
I really don't want to have to kill him but equally I do not want to prolong his life if he is suffering with very little chance of
recovery. He is in a 5 gallon tank with 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 20ppm nitrate, just over 1
tbsp. of salt per gallon and I am lifting him out of the tank daily for a few minutes to allow him access to air. pH is
6.6 (low I know but I added dolomite to the filter on the day of to raise it so hopefully that will start to take effect). Should I dose
with Iodine?
<Yes, I would>
Sorry for the long question but I am very concerned about him.
Thanks,
Chris
<Do take care to maintain good, consistent water quality, assure this animal is getting food. Could take weeks to a few months, but may well be fine. Bob Fenner>
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
|
Thai devil Soapdish crab
I know this is not truly an aquatic species, so I don't know if you can
help. However, I thought that if you didn't know the answer, you may know
someone who does.
<Mmm, am actually one of those "guilty" ex-retailers of yore who used to sell
these w/o much knowledge of their husbandry>
My friend has a Thai Devil crab (Soap dish crap). His large claw is
inflamed at the joint where it attaches to his body. He is in a 10 gallon
tank,
partially filled with water. He has land access and spends most of his time
there now. He is still eating as normal and very active. The Ph of the water
is 7.0, but she does not have any salt added.
<IS a freshwater animal, that DOES eat various meaty foods>
He is fed a varied diet of
krill and hermit crab pellets. She soaks the krill in vitamins before she
feeds
them to him.
<Good>
I understand that iodine is important to these crabs.
<A essential micro-nutrient for much life, including you and I. I would add
Lugol's solution, potassium iodide/iodate once a week or so... to this animals
water.>
Does he
need special lighting?
<No>
And could the inflammation be a sign of an impending
molt?
<Maybe>
He is full grown and they only molt once a year I think. She is very concerned
about his health, she has had him for about 6 months. Any
information would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Caryn
<I encourage you to place the above title words in your computer search tools
and read what little there is posted on the Net re this crab/species. Bob
Fenner>
Fiddler Crabs, Ich Problems?
Is there a safe medication to treat for ich that will not kill my fiddler
crabs?
<Yikes! Ryan here today. We use a quarantine method to treat infected fish-
That involves removing the infected animals, and treating them separately. In
that case, your crabs are safe!>
It's been 20 years since I've had an aquarium, and it seems that many rules
about keeping and caring for freshwater fish have changed. <I'll say!> I did my
homework and researched the subject so that I felt comfortable with my
choices. About 2 months ago I purchased a 55 gallon aquarium, and started with
about 5 Neons to get the water cycle to do its thing. I now have several fish:
5 swordtails, 6 mollies, 5 dwarf platies 6 dwarf Gouramis, a Pleco, 6 Cory
catfish and 6 fiddler crabs. (I love the fiddler crabs.) <That
Pleco will soon
outgrow the 55 gallon tank...I'd inquire early about trading him for a smaller
Pleco once he's about 6 inches.>
Everything was going well, including the birth of about 30 babies (black
mollies, silver Lyretail mollies and sunset dwarf platies) until last weekend
when I did a 25% water change to correct nitrate and total alkalinity levels. I
also rearranged the fake plants, rocks and log to allow the fish to have more
swimming room and to ensure a better water flow from the filter. I must have
really stressed my poor fish. The other day I noticed that 2 of my dwarf
Gourami had small slits and little holes in their upper fins. That evening I
noticed my male silver Lyretail had trouble swimming and was at a 45 degree
downward angle, and sometimes faced straight down. I immediately added extra
aquarium salt to the tank and increased the water temp to 82 degrees (from
78). The following day, after work, I purchased a 6 gallon 'hospital tank',
Maracyn and Maracyn-Two for my 3 sick fish. Unfortunately, when I got home, one
of the Gourami had died. It looked to be sick for only 24 hours, so I was
pretty shocked to find it dead that quickly.
I checked all my fish and decided that only 2 of the other Gourami had what is
probably Fin and Tail Rot, so I put them, along with my male Molly into the
hospital tank, using water from the 55 gallon tank. (I didn't want to stress
them further.) I've been medicating them for 3 days now and they are looking
much better. My Molly is actually starting to swim somewhat normally, so I
believe there is hope for him. <Sounds hopeful!>
Now for the bad part... I came home from work today and found 3 more fish in the
55 gallon tank that look like they have Fin and Tail Rot. It also looks like
there may be a white spot or two on these same fish. I have CopperSafe that I
was going to use in the hospital tank if I needed to treat for Ich, but I can't
use it in my 55 gallon tank as it would kill my crabs. I've started treating
the big tank for Fin and Tail Rot, but am not sure what to do about the possible
ich, as I don't want to kill my crabs.
<You're going to need to treat all infected fish in the QT tank. Next time, add
the fish to the display tank AFTER they have successfully completed 6 weeks of
quarantine. Then you won't have the same issues. This time around, it's the
long road my friend. The answer to your question is no- There is no ICH
treatment that is truly crab-safe. Good luck, Ryan>
Chris
Crab Questions - 04/15/2004
Hello Crew-
<Hello, Jessica!>
First of all, I wanted to tell you how much I've learned from your website on
the subject of my newly purchased Sesarma bidens! However, I do have a couple of
questions for you, and I know you can help.
<Whew, you're a lot more confidant than I am! But I'll try my best.>
I have a 10gal. freshwater tank for the two crabs I purchased close to two
months ago. Both of the "girls", my 12 year-old son lovingly named
"Tara" & "Melissa", have been doing wonderfully. They
both have been eating well on a diet of algae pellets and shrimp pellets.
<So far, so good.>
But, after checking them both yesterday morning, and then later that afternoon,
I discovered "Melissa" was in a normal up-right position, but wasn't
moving at all. Maybe I'm being very ignorant and naive, but I didn't want to
throw her out until I knew for sure that she wasn't actually dead and could be
molting.
<No, I understand. Though, the molting process is usually relatively quick,
and they'll usually hide while they molt, and while their new shell
hardens.>
I did check her this morning and there's still no movement. I've spent the last
three hours culling through information about the crabs, but I've had no luck in
finding anything on what a dead crab will look like compared to a molting
crab.
<At this point, if she's not moving, I would pretty much suspect the worst. I
am very sorry. It may have been aggression from the other crab; this species,
like quite a few others, are pretty aggressive with one another.>
We owned a very large hermit crab for five years, so I am very familiar with
molting. But I've never owned crabs before.
<They're pretty much the same.... Though I would add iodine to the water (see
our shrimp & invert FAQs for details), and would certainly allow them a
space where they can get out onto a dry space somewhere in the aquarium; it is
quite crucial that they have a land space.>
I also wanted to ask about the actual necessity for salt in the water for these
crabs.
<It is unnecessary. They may do somewhat better in brackish water, and
certainly need high-end brackish to breed, but should do quite well in
freshwater.>
I found a ratio of 1tsp/10gal of kosher salt...it this a correct and safe figure
to go with,
<Yes, certainly. You'll still be "fresh" water, essentially. Even
salt-sensitive fish can tolerate this concentration.>
and will it hurt goldfish if I choose to put them in the water too?
<The salt would certainly be fine for the goldies - BUT - ten gallons is
really far too small for goldfish. I would recommend something simpler in terms
of maintenance; goldfish are really far too messy of waste producers to keep in
such small confines. How about mollies? These would do exceptionally well, you
could keep a few in a ten gallon with the crab, and bring up the salinity, even
to full saltwater, if you desired.>
Thank you so much, and I hope to hear from you soon. Jessica Linaweaver
<You are quite welcome; thank you for writing in. Please let us know if you
have any further questions! Wishing you and your crab well, -Sabrina>
