Adding fiddler crab to the crab setup?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:56 pm

I've seen a crabber in South Korea who successfully added some fiddler crabs and land crabs with hermit crabs, and I'm thinking of adding couple in my tank too. The crabber is really an expert to hermit crabs, and he hadn't had any problems (molting, aggression, etc.)with either of them. I know my tank is a bit crowded, but I think it would be interesting to add a different kind of creature for more complete ecosystem (I already planted some carrots in my tank too). Has anyone tried this?

lilprincess1026 · Post by **lilprincess1026** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:43 pm

I havent tried it, but you planted carrots?! how is that working out?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jun 15, 2009 3:22 pm

The store I buy my crabs from has E's and Fiddlers living together in excellent condition. I think it's fine, personally.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 3:29 am

The carrots are sprouting, but they are constantly getting stepped on and soaked by hermit crabs so I guess they won't be living for a long time... I think I'll just keep the fiddlers in a 2.5 gallon tank after the turtle moves out.

KittyCaller · Post by **KittyCaller** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:38 am

Uhhh, I wouldn't do it, to be honest. The fiddlers like a more watery environment than the hermies.

Dramatic Hermiexx · Post by **Dramatic Hermiexx** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:57 am

I researched fiddlers a while ago when I considered getting a few as pets (but I decided not to for now). The substrate will be in direct contact with the water for the fids, making it way too soaked for hermies. The fid’s water and shoreline would need to be separated from the hermies' substrate by plexiglas glued into the tank otherwise the all the substrate will be too soaked for the hermies. I would still be worried about the hermies attempting to molt in the fiddler’s substrate and that would be dangerous for the hermies. This wouldn't work in a small tank like a 10g or 20g; you'd need something much larger. Also the humidity would need to be watched closely to avoid it becoming to high. Then there could be water quality problems for the fids. I personally would avoid it unless you have plenty of experience with both fids and hermies and seriously know what you're doing.

KittyCaller · Post by **KittyCaller** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:18 am

Fiddlers are really fairly messy. (Not nearly so bad as turtles or frogs, but still) and I think they probably need a filter to do really well. Petsmarts don't have the best environment for them, but I will say that I liked watching them when I worked there, and not too many were clinging to the ornaments sticking up out of the water. Most of the time, they were in the water and they seemed to like it there.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:14 am

Will it be okay to keep them in a 2.5 gallon tank with deep brackish water dish? I have a sponge filter but it would be too large for the tank if the fiddlers need land. In 4th grade we had millipedes, fiddler crabs, and African dwarf frogs in science, and the fiddlers were kept in a tank with sand and instead of soaking the sand, we put a container with brackish water in it. I know it might be wrong since most schools keep animals in less-than-ideal conditions(like putting guppies in a bottle and calling it "ecosystem").

Dramatic Hermiexx · Post by **Dramatic Hermiexx** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:49 am

My memory is foggy on fids and I had to a little repeat research. I have no experience with them and I may be wrong. The minimum is 5g but I would just get a 10g. The water does need to be filtered. The setup needs to be half brackish water and half land. The land could be a sand shoreline or large rocks (be sure they're stable so they don't fall on the fids). I don't think a water dish would work; it would need to cover half the tank but I can't say for sure. A little off topic, but ditto with class pets not being properly taken care of. In my former school (pre graduation) one of my teachers could never keep the class pets alive for more than 3 months 9must be due to incorrect care). We had a turtle for a few days in a 10g but he had to be taken home due to odor issues (something about his care just didn't seem right to me but I know almost nothing about turtles).

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 11:23 am

At my pet store, the keep the sand very moist. There is a ramp that goes into water that's about 1 1/2 inches deep. There are There is one of those plants that lays, letting the vines drop in, so hermit crabs can have something to hold on to. There is cholla wood for the crabs, if they don't want to be on the ground. And this all fits in a 10 Gallon tank!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:37 pm

I think I should forget about fiddlers and hatch some triops(freshwater crustacean that looks similar to horseshoe crabs) instead. Also,when the summer is over, I'm going to write to my principal to stop animal cruelty in science classes.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 3:59 pm

Fiddlers need a different environment. They like a more aquatic setting than hermit crabs. Most of the time you'll find them under water. And a bowl is NOT large enough. Another issue is that fiddlers are aggressive and if they don't kill the hermies outright, they'll constantly pester them, especially when they're vulnerable while molting, like some one else said.

Crabby Abby · Post by **Crabby Abby** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 4:11 pm

quote:A little off topic, but ditto with class pets not being properly taken care of. I can top it all. My daughter's teacher has had different classroom pets and for the past two years it had been hermits. After Kim told me they were in an open topped tank in Hamster shavings with a water dish that kept tipping over and barely any food I offered the teacher supplies and to do a presentation for the class. She willingly accepted both. Wanting not to take time from the presentation I went in one afternoon when class let out to do the tank and upon dumping the shavings learned she never cleaned the tank after it held hamsters, and that was TWO years ago. You cannot imagine the ammonia smell that burned my nostrils after that heavy mound of shavings fell out and the sludgy bottom was exposed.

Shelly · Post by **Shelly** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 4:15 pm

O-M-G.....I'm speechless

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:49 am

Wow... that's disgusting...