# Red Claw Crab



## kotachi

I'm a little new to this so I'm gonna need a lot of advice and help

So...I have a 30 gallon tank (I usually use litres but I think most people here prefer gallons?)
and right now it's pretty desolate, only got 2 ghost shrimp, 2 crayfish some rocks and driftwood and like one plant left in there...long story. Anyway so the only reason I'm explaining all this is because my crayfish are pretty destructive and thats the reason why theres only one plant left and I haven't been bothered to get more because of the crayfish. so my question is are red claw crabs equally destructive because I see them a lot in the aquarium shops and I really like them, but I'm not sure if they will co-exist peacefully with plants fish etc.

Any other information regarding a red claw crabs diet, environment etc would be really helpful. thanks!


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## jrodriguez

i dont know exactly what a red claw crab is but i happen to own a couple of fiddler crabs which are very cool to watch...

here's some info that i found...

Sesarma Bidens

(Red Claw Crab, Red Clawed Crab)

Care Level: Moderate
Tank Conditions: 72-82°F; pH 7.5-8.0
Temperament: Peaceful
Max. Size In Aquarium: Up to 2.7"
Diet: Omnivore
Family: Sesarmidae

The Red Claw Crab gets their name from their bright red claws. These crabs are usually sold as freshwater crabs. From what little Red Claw Crab care information I could find on the internet, it seems that they are actually brackish crabs. My tank is a brackish tank with a salinity of 1.004. A ph of 8. I use Reef Crystals salt mix. I have talked to several people on some forums that have tried to keep them in fresh water and had no luck long term. So if you want to try these crabs, I would recommend brackish water. When I purchased my Red Clawed Crabs, 1/11/03, I floated them for 3 hours to slow get they adjusted from the fresh, 7 ph pet store water to my brackish 1.004 ph 8 water. The 2 Red Claw Crabs live with 4 Bumble Bee Gobies. I was afraid that the crabs would bother the gobies, but so far I have not had any problems. I keep the crabs well fed.

The Red Claw Crabs eat about anything that settles to the bottom on the tank. I feed them sinking wafers, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, frozen bloodworms, and frozen mosquito larvae. I have found out they will eat some plants. I placed a small amount of Java Moss, Corkscrew Vallisneria, Duckweed, and Brazilian Waterweed in the tank. All which were eaten by the crabs. I have some Java Fern and Cryptocoryne Wendtii which the crabs have not touched yet. I have fed my crabs peas, which they will eat. The crabs would most likely eat other vegetables. The crabs will also eat snails. I placed a 1/4" pond snail in with the crabs and found the shell empty when cleaning the tank. I place my extra Apple Snail egg clutches in the tank also. And speaking of cleaning the tank. Make sure you have very good filtration with the crabs. I have noticed that the crabs are very dirty.

Being that crabs are crustaceans, as they grow they will molt. This is where the crab sheds its old exoskeleton, or shell. The crab will be vulnerable after his molt till his new shell hardens. Molting is a very stressful period for crabs, and they might die under the stress. 

The driftwood in my tank is above the water line. The crabs need access to air. The crabs will craw up the driftwood and hang out above the water for hours. Make sure that the top is completely covered, they are good escape artists. These crabs will quarrel among themselves, so be sure each one has enough room and don't crowd too many in the same aquarium. House no more then 2 Red Clawed Crabs in a ten gallon tank. The tank should provide several hiding places for the crabs.


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## fishaid

Hi, i had a few in my tank they are as destructive when it come to plants.as far as fish go they will do fine with unless the fish are very in larged.Then they might pick at which is not kewl, i don't know about crayfish.They live for about a max of 3 to 4 years they will eat any thing that falls to the bottom.The crabs need air (out of the tank) at some point.The thing will try to escape when it can , they molt,need some sea salt in the tank for the elements that the slat has. good day


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## that kid

jrodriguez said:


> i dont know exactly what a red claw crab is but i happen to own a couple of fiddler crabs which are very cool to watch...
> 
> here's some info that i found...
> 
> Sesarma Bidens
> 
> (Red Claw Crab, Red Clawed Crab)
> 
> Care Level: Moderate
> Tank Conditions: 72-82°F; pH 7.5-8.0
> Temperament: Peaceful
> Max. Size In Aquarium: Up to 2.7"
> Diet: Omnivore
> Family: Sesarmidae
> 
> The Red Claw Crab gets their name from their bright red claws. These crabs are usually sold as freshwater crabs. From what little Red Claw Crab care information I could find on the internet, it seems that they are actually brackish crabs. My tank is a brackish tank with a salinity of 1.004. A ph of 8. I use Reef Crystals salt mix. I have talked to several people on some forums that have tried to keep them in fresh water and had no luck long term. So if you want to try these crabs, I would recommend brackish water. When I purchased my Red Clawed Crabs, 1/11/03, I floated them for 3 hours to slow get they adjusted from the fresh, 7 ph pet store water to my brackish 1.004 ph 8 water. The 2 Red Claw Crabs live with 4 Bumble Bee Gobies. I was afraid that the crabs would bother the gobies, but so far I have not had any problems. I keep the crabs well fed.
> 
> The Red Claw Crabs eat about anything that settles to the bottom on the tank. I feed them sinking wafers, algae wafers, shrimp pellets, frozen bloodworms, and frozen mosquito larvae. I have found out they will eat some plants. I placed a small amount of Java Moss, Corkscrew Vallisneria, Duckweed, and Brazilian Waterweed in the tank. All which were eaten by the crabs. I have some Java Fern and Cryptocoryne Wendtii which the crabs have not touched yet. I have fed my crabs peas, which they will eat. The crabs would most likely eat other vegetables. The crabs will also eat snails. I placed a 1/4" pond snail in with the crabs and found the shell empty when cleaning the tank. I place my extra Apple Snail egg clutches in the tank also. And speaking of cleaning the tank. Make sure you have very good filtration with the crabs. I have noticed that the crabs are very dirty.
> 
> Being that crabs are crustaceans, as they grow they will molt. This is where the crab sheds its old exoskeleton, or shell. The crab will be vulnerable after his molt till his new shell hardens. Molting is a very stressful period for crabs, and they might die under the stress.
> 
> The driftwood in my tank is above the water line. The crabs need access to air. The crabs will craw up the driftwood and hang out above the water for hours. Make sure that the top is completely covered, they are good escape artists. These crabs will quarrel among themselves, so be sure each one has enough room and don't crowd too many in the same aquarium. House no more then 2 Red Clawed Crabs in a ten gallon tank. The tank should provide several hiding places for the crabs.


how long does moltintg usually take?


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