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My new brackish crab bowl!

3K views 12 replies 4 participants last post by  squishylittlefishies 
#1 ·
Hi! I know it's been a while since I've posted around here. My tanks have all settled down and I was starting to get bored. Crabs are what got me into this hobby, and i really miss having them, so I decided to start up a little red claw crab tank. I found an old cookie jar for 3 dollars. It looks really nice as a tank and I think it is about 3 gallons. I used some leftover live sand from when I set up my pico reef. I washed it out before. I got 2 crabs. One is missing a few legs, nd on the ride home, I found her eating a claw from the other one. I don't know how she got it because the other crab is bigger and healthier...but whatever. Anyway, I tried to go for a more natural, zen like look with this little tank. I used driftwood, dwarf hair grass, java fern, crypt, and marimo moss. All should do well in low level brackish. The only fake plant is a flat branching one against the wall so they have something to climb on.
How long will it take them before they are settled in enough to accept food? I tried some music and cucumber today, but they have yet to see them eat.
How should I raise the salinity? I plan to keep it at and sg of 1.006. Does that sound good for these guys? I was thinking I will jusT add a very small amount of my clean reef water 2x a day until it is up to the desired salinity level. Does that sound like an ok way to go about this?
ThAnks for any and all advice and comments!
 

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#4 ·
Well, I've never kept red clawed crabs before, but I was doing a lot of reading on them because I was strongly considering it. A SG of 1.006 sounds fine, probably at the low end of their 'healthy' range from what I've read and better for keeping some freshwater plants than trying to push it higher.

As far as land access goes, I suspect that's enough. As I understand it, they just need to go up there to catch a break (and a breath) now and then, and anything else is a matter of preference to them. In paludariums, I've seen just as many choosing to hang out below the waterline as above.
 
#6 ·
Yeah, their favorite passtime is chewing on the crypts and uprooting the hair grass.:p I've changed the scape to give them more shelter and make the tank more manageable. I had to take out the wood and w placed it with some big smooth rocks. They seem more omfortable with the new setup.
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#9 ·
ok, the one missing a bunch of legs moulted and looked perfect, but today they gotin a fight i guessbecause now he is missing one claw and one leg and the other is missing threemore legs than beore. *sigh* cant we all just get along? i might hav to return one...do you think i should?
 
#13 ·
Corn today! They love it and its not messy mushy like cucumber. Plus it sinks to the bottom which is fantastic. My crypt is almost gone too...
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