Red Claw Crabs or Fiddler Crabs for Aqua-Terrarium

Next year I would like to do a planted aqua-terrarium, it would be half land half water with a small waterfall, and a marshy swamp style theme. I have been very interested in pet crabs and done a good amount of research on their care requirements in the past. My question is, which do you guys feel makes the better pet, Red Claw Crabs or Fiddler Crabs? I don't mind having more females than males, but i'd want atleast a couple so they aren't so lonesome. Which would be better off in the planted swamp theme? Which is more interesting and enjoyable to watch?

 

When I had them I had them together and the fiddlers would be dug in the sand on the shore and red claws would be hissing in the rocks in the water.

 

I like the way red claws look better, and I like watching mine chase crickets, but fiddlers are more fun to watch when they dance. Have you considered disco vampire crabs?

 

When I had them I had them together and the fiddlers would be dug in the sand on the shore and red claws would be hissing in the rocks in the water.

Do you keep them together in the same tank?

 

I like the way red claws look better, and I like watching mine chase crickets, but fiddlers are more fun to watch when they dance. Have you considered disco vampire crabs?

I have considered Vampire Crabs but only one petshop has them here, and they are very expensive. But that petshop keeps them fully submerged underwater and offered no return policy on pets that are in poor health when purchased.

I also prefer the way the Red Claw Crabs look though. They look kinda bored at the pet store but hopefully they woluld be more active and exciting in my tank. I have heard some negative stories though about Red Claws being really aggressive to each other/tank mates, eating all the plants in the tank, and eating tank mates. So that is why Fiddler Crabs are also up for consideration. I am aiming for the swamp style biotope so it would be nice to add some other creatures than just a few crabs. And if they ate all the plants that would be a real problem..

 

Mine were never terribly territorial. The key is to have plenty of hiding places, so they all have their little designated troll holes. I had some of them with at least a portion of the hides were against the glass so I could see them sometimes when they were being reclusive. The best is when they get all grumpy and wave their claws at you trying to be scary.
Edit: also, they generally look unhappy at pet stores because they're usually kept and sold as freshwater, but they're actually brackish. It's really vital to their comfort and well-being.

 

That's true, never thought about them keeping them in non-brackish water at the pet store. Yeah, I'll most likely end up with Red Claws if I get crabs for the tank. Some Fiddlers have a dull color, and that big claw looks like it could be a hazard to everything in the tank, haha.

Did yours ever eat any live plants, and did you ever attempt keeping other fish/inverts/amphibians with them?

 

Do you keep them together in the same tank?

Yes I did.

 

That's true, never thought about them keeping them in non-brackish water at the pet store. Yeah, I'll most likely end up with Red Claws if I get crabs for the tank. Some Fiddlers have a dull color, and that big claw looks like it could be a hazard to everything in the tank, haha.

Did yours ever eat any live plants, and did you ever attempt keeping other fish/inverts/amphibians with them?

I've kept them with top and middle dwelling fish. They're VERY fast when they have a mind to be. If you're going to keep them with inverts, just don't do anything expensive or that you would miss too badly.
Doing amphibians is just asking for trouble. They're not fast enough to escape if they need to and you'll get pinched toes. They WILL also try to go after the crabs. If they don't get the canoodles pinched out of them, they'll get a mouthful and possibly choke. If they manage to swallow one, it would be VERY hard to digest and probably cause an impaction.
The biggest concern there, though, is that both amphibians and crabs have very permeable skin and are susceptible to disease and infection. Red claws are particularly sensitive just after they've molted, before they've hardened, or when they have their tummy hatches open. They'll also be lethargic and unable to escape if they need to. Then there's the danger of a frog or newt trying to eat their molt.
I'd also suggest keeping cuttlebone in with your crabs. You won't see a calcium deficiency right away, but as they shed they'll start losing limbs.

 

I see what you mean. I would not keep them with amphibians, although that would be the most natural look for the biotope. I've heard of people keeping them with Mudskippers before, cause they both come from brackish marshes, though i'd fear one may eat the other if there are large size differences.
I think I will experiment with keeping them with fast swimming minnows/small tropicals to see if that works out. I will also get some feeder Ghost Shrimp from the store to try, cause i'm not risking it with my shrimp that I breed privately.
Pardon my ignorance, but what is cuttlebone? Some at the store had shorter legs which I assumed they had lost a crab duel.

 

Its something used for birds. Make sure any fish are able to go into brackish and are gradually introduced to brackish water.