PugsAndKitties

I saw some swimming crabs at my LFS, they're so fun to watch! Im converting to a SW tank soon and I want them. Just 1 problem, I cant find any information on them other than they taste good!!! Does anyone know how to care for them?!?

I already have a protien skimmer, Im planning on a reef tank. I know about cycling and salinity. I going to get a stronger light and eventually, live rock.

Hypnox

I'm not sure how well a crab that has predator claws and gets over 8" wide would do in a small aquarium. Well, not so much how well he'd do as how well your other fish would do.

The only real information i've found out about them so far doing quick searches is that they are an opportunity attacker and can get to a pretty tasty size.

PugsAndKitties

I didnt know they get that big........ is there a size rule for a crab eating a fish? I have 3 options: A - Maybe I could get 1 or 2 while they're young and exchange them when they're big B - Or I could get big fish, but with my small tank, that would be hard C - Not get any, I love them though! They're so fun to watch!!! But that might be the way to go... stocking a tank is hard!

cerianthus

If desire or possible, collect wild one to be kept by themselves thus when released back, less possible addition of new pathogens to our natural biotope. Will be releasing some fish i collected last summer which have been kept in its own tank with water from where fish were collected, the ocean.
Used to do that with Tiny Snapping Turtle. when got too big where cracked few tanks, time to let go with my nickname marked on top of shell. Always released back to smae location and made sure not to come in contact with other specimen.

PugsAndKitties

How am I supposed to catch a crab that lives in Indonesia from Texas?

cerianthus

Well! it does not have to be the one from Indo. You may be able to find cutie locally, even f/w. Even Texas gotta have river/creeks or lake/pond . Around where I am, have caught few different varieties of crabs (blue craw crab, sand crab, green crab, shrimps, prawns and raise. Some went back but some got eaten by puffer but still some left in the tank. Still have spider crab caught from beach last summer. It is usually dirty when caught but cleaned up nicely in captivity. Bet you if sent abroad under some fancy name, people would pay for this creatures as we are paying for imported livestocks such as arrow crabs, decorator crab. Actually my spider crab looks as ugly/cute as decorator crab.lol!

PugsAndKitties

So I cant egt any swimming crabs, right? I can live with that, espscially if its better for the tank. I know I like Emerald and Strawberry crabs. Are there any larger crabs I could get that would be well fit for a reef tank?

cerianthus

I meant local specimen in species tank, not in the reef. If you meant for reef set up, becareful what you add. I had red/blue lobsters in reef which did not have other bottom dwellers since lobsters very rarely climbed the rocks as crabs do. Thus housed several different kinds of shrimps with lobster along with emerald, arrow crabs.