Topic: fesh water crabs

[blackace22]

hey everyone i have some questions about fresh water crabs
1.how big of a tank would you need for 1-2 of them?
2.do the water have to be cycled?
3.what type of filter if any would you use?
4.what can of food do ya feed them?

thanks

[bulrush]

hey everyone i have some questions about fresh water crabs
1.how big of a tank would you need for 1-2 of them?

5-10g is fine. But they are excellent climbers. They will climb any airhose or cord in the tank.

2.do the water have to be cycled?

Yes. Keep them in a warm room too, so a heater is required also.

3.what type of filter if any would you use?

Bubble filter is fine.

4.what can of food do ya feed them?

They will eat anything they can reach, they are scavengers. Fish food, flakes or small pellets, are fine.

Most crabs also need something to climb out of the water, like a rock or log. Don't forget that too. Can you be more specific about the type of crab? There are many types of fresh water crabs on the market, like fiddler crabs, soap dish crabs, thai crabs, etc.

[blackace22]

they type my lfs has is blue fiddlers
another question is how much water should be in the tank?

[bulrush]

Fill the tank about 3-4 inches full of water, but make sure you have places for them to crawl out and get air, like stones and logs. But avoid putting hoses or cords in the thank, they will climb right up them and out of the tank.

Are those the crabs with blue bodies and red legs? Those look sweet! (I googled an image.)

[blackace22]

ya they are blue with red legs
i got a few more questions
1. how would you cycle water that shallow?
2.what does a bubble filter look like?

[bulrush]

1. Shallow water is cycled the same as deep water. However the bubble filter must be smaller and completely submersed.

2. Bubble filters have many shapes and sizes. Some look like triangle gray sponges, some look like cylindrical gray sponges, some have a square plastic case with a sponge inside. But they all move the water across the sponge by using air bubbles rising.

Below is a link to some sponge filters on Kensfish.
http://www.kensfish.com/aticompletefilters.html

Click on the link called "Photo".

[blackace22]

ok thanks for all your help   

[bulrush]

Keep that crab warm. My fiddler died because I didn't know it had to be warm, and it was winter, and the room got to 65F at night.