Crab help!

[gwinni]

Hi folks i'm hoping you guys can give me some advice .
I got a couple of crabs a few months back from pets at home. One died not long after i got them so i still have one. They were labelled as Rainbow land crabs but after Pming a member on here about upgrading the little guys set up i've found out that it isn't a Rainbow land crab but a red claw crab . I've been trying to find out info so i can rehouse him, some stuff i've read says they need a small amount of salt in the water, some say special marine salt, others say artificial sea salt (i'm not sure what that is) i've also read they can live in fresh water?
Does anyone else on here keep these wee dudes? What's your set up? Do you have pics please? Atm for his new house i have a large RUB (not sure of exact size), water heater, some play sand and a fluval2 filter and some rocks. I need to get him some bogwood. He's in a small critter keeper thing which isn't big enough for the filter or heater hence me wanting to rehouse him.
Sorry for the long post and thank you in advance for any help you can offer
Cheers gwinni

[russm]

They have these in my local pet shop and they have them in a tank that is half water and half land. Dont think they have a heater in the tank but it is pretty warm in their fish room anyway. They are using undergravel filters in all their tanks but a fluval would be fine as well. They have had them in for months without any problems so presuming the set-up works just fine.
Good luck with yours.

[SteveCourty]

I keep them as do many others in a tropical set up with normal fish in. As long as they have access to land then they are fine. This can be achieved by using bogwood sticking out the water. Mine like to live on the glass shelf and climbs up the cables and air pipes

[gwinni]

Thanks for the replies guys. I've got a tropical tank but i'b be wary in adding the crab coz there's a red clawed crayfish/blue lobster in the tank and wouldn't want the crab to end up as a snack for sebastian lol. I tried to make a wee beach in the rub i have with the sand but it wouldn't stay where i put it. Was planning maybe 1/2 - 1 inch of sand on bottom of rub, 5-6 inches of water and puttin in a couple of big rocks in till i can get a bit bogwood (i've read they eat the wood sometimes).
What sort of fish can be kept with them? Can this species of crab be kept in groups or are they better on they're own? Are they ok in freshwater?

[russm]

I would not keep any fish with anything that has claws as they tend to go hunting during the night when your other fish will not be quite so active and they could become dinner. I know that many people do keep crabs and lobsters and stuff with fish so I guess it is a matter of opinion. The shop I go to just has them in fresh water so I dont think they need salt. I am sure you could serach for a care sheet if you wanted to make sure.

[gwinni]

I have to admit i kinda see keeping crabs and lobsters ect with fish in a similar way as putting locusts in for my spiders. I feel if i have a prob with fish getting eaten i should also have a prob with feeding my other pets livefood. If they get eaten they get eaten then it's a bit of variety in the diet and if they don't get eaten then woohoo there's pretty fish to look at while the lobster/crab is in hiding

[SteveCourty]

I keep red clawed crabs with other fish no problems and so do many of my friends. That is a debate that has been had many times on here and always splits people down the middle. A crayfish tho will decimate any fish stock you have

[luke 413]

i also keep red clawed crabs in my aquarium along with the fish. i haave had a few tetras go missing but whether they died and he ate them or he caught them i dont know. seeing as they 6 for 5 quid its not really worth worrying about.

Mine crawls up the heater wire to get out of the water.

[Andy_WSM]

Originally Posted by SteveCourty

I keep red clawed crabs with other fish no problems and so do many of my friends. That is a debate that has been had many times on here and always splits people down the middle. A crayfish tho will decimate any fish stock you have

Interesting as I also have red claw crabs in with fish and 2 crayfish, non eat each other, I have had no casualties ever. I think the important thing is to keep everything well fed so they don't feel they need to eat each other!

[gwinni]

What fish do you keep in with your red claw crabs steve? Was just giving my opinion on the subject but i understand not everyone agrees about stuff like this and hope it won't end in stress it's not why i posted

What fish do you have in with you crab luke? Or is it just tetras?

I have fish in with my crayfish as well andy and have had no deaths so far and the fish are pretty careful about staying out the way. Mine was kept with fish before i got him and he left them alone as well. But i'm not naive enough to think it would NEVER happen lol