HCA: Hermit Crab Association

I'm not sure if this should go here or under the "other crabs" section but does anyone have any experience keeping red claw crabs (Sesarma bidens) with hermit crabs, specifically strawberries . My concern is how predatory red claws will be to molting crabs. Also I am a little concerned about my massive strawberries bullying those tiny Sesarma.

As far as I know it is not recommended to keep any other types of crabs or other species with hermits crabs (other than isopods). I can tell you that Strawberries are extremely docile - I have four. I don't know now long you have had yours, but they are very fragile as well.

GotButterflies wrote:As far as I know it is not recommended to keep any other types of crabs or other species with hermits crabs (other than isopods). I can tell you that Strawberries are extremely docile - I have four. I don't know now long you have had yours, but they are very fragile as well.

I would agree. I would also point out that they're both wild-caught species from different environments, I might carry parasites that could be detrimental to the other. Also, red clawed crabs are brackish, so a crab cage would not be a great environment for them.

At most, in a large tank it could (theoretically) work, since you can create a substantial area for both species needs. But for most hobbyists, this is nothing but a dream.

Agree with above 2, particularly with diseases/parasites.



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The habitat that I was going to attempt this in will be pretty susbtantial and will include a 2.5 gallon section of brackish water and a 2.5 gallon section of saltwater along with a smaller area of fresh. I am just looking for something to make a more active display in daylight hours. I would prefer fiddler crabs, but alas they are almost impossible to find in mixed sexes.

hopefullcrabber wrote:The habitat that I was going to attempt this in will be pretty susbtantial and will include a 2.5 gallon section of brackish water and a 2.5 gallon section of saltwater along with a smaller area of fresh. I am just looking for something to make a more active display in daylight hours. I would prefer fiddler crabs, but alas they are almost impossible to find in mixed sexes.

Having that much water in a tank meant for land crabs greatly increases the risk of flooding or bacterial bloom if any leaks or cracks in the containers happen.

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[/quote]Having that much water in a tank meant for land crabs greatly increases the risk of flooding or bacterial bloom if any leaks or cracks in the containers happen.

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I'm not particularly worried about that. The water areas are going to be comprised of aquariums inside the larger aquarium. I was going make something custom but ultimately I decided on going the easier and cheaper route.

Not to be negative - but 2.5 gal is a really teeny nano tank, and nitrates build up faster in smaller spaces, necessitating more and larger water changes. Water changes often result in spills & enough small spills can result is a flood. (And honestly, I don't think anything aquatic should be permanently housed in a 2.5.)

Also, tanks can develop leaks over time - I'd recommend devising a way of seeing if a leak evolves (such as perhaps sitting the tanks in a clear plastic container), otherwise the sand will just wick up excess moisture & you won't know of a leak til you have a flood to contend with.

Putting two terestrial species in a tank together that will naturally be competing for limited space creates problems that can lead to stress or agression. Both species (especially Coenobita) would have far more space in the wild. You can do things to reduce the likelyhood of conflict, like understocking and trying to provide an abundance of resources, but I do think that in adding another species with similar needs you're adding an unnecessary stressor to the captive life of wild animals. The only befit one could really have for the other is as a snack. Crabs are brutal like that.

Finally, Coenobita aren't so wholly nocturnal that they'll never be out when it's light - their nocturnal adaptation is largely a response to arid day time conditions in their native habitats. In a tank with a lot of cover and high humidity, I have two or three diurnal crabs out of eight. In a 90 gallon I can always see someone up to something.