Crab Update!

[Inkslinger]

Inks I meant that if I just threw the crickets in to the water, the crabs wouldn't get them because crickets float and would swim away. I held them under the water with forceps and the crabs took them off me. With this method, they were fine as they just tore the legs off and ate them, before eating the rest.

Are we on the same page? I'm a little confused..

Got it now I was under the misapprehension that you couldn't get them to eat so what do they eat in the wild?

 

[PhilK]

I wouldn't really have a clue what they'd eat in the wild..

Because they're crabs I think 'anything and everything' would come into their diet. They'd probably eat detritus and vegetation, and they'd definitly scavange dead insects/carrion etc from my observations. (Under my care they've eaten fishflakes, carrot, ham, coconut, sultanas, oats, bran, crickets, cricket legs...)

 

[Inkslinger]

Try brine shrimp maybe

 

[PhilK]

Brine shrimp need brine, don't they? These crabs don't go well with salt.

 

[Inkslinger]

Brine shrimp need brine, don't they? These crabs don't go well with salt.

probably didnt think of that what about tiny freshwater fish
guppies etc

 

[Viridae]

Blood worms?

 

[Thumpage44]

Large water Beetles?

 

[bylo]

Blood worms?

yes they would be worth a try or even turtle frozen dinners , they have a mixture of veg and meat

 

[PhilK]

Hmmm.. could be worth a shot. They're on deep gravel, and I'm a little worried about worms disappearing in between the substrate

 

[eerin]

are they lovin your sweet enclosure you made.. or paid for or.. but yeh!
i wanna see the crabs eat

 

[PhilK]

Will charge the camera and feed them more crickets in a couple of days, and I'll post those photos if people want.

And yeah they seem to enjoy the enclosure, but they just stay on the water side!!! I want them to go on the land, dammit! Land crabs my butt.

If I could be bothered (highly unlikely) I'll change the land side and water side over, and they can have a bigger pool.

 

[eerin]

ahah v.cool! they will love you like a god if you did that obviously

 

[DiamondAsh]

Zoidbergs looking good Phil !!

 

[moosenoose]

When I was at the beach at the Gold Coast I saw this fella trying to nip one of my toes off:

 

[grimbeny]

Id like to see pics of the whole enclosure. VEry interesting.

 

[PhilK]

Love those marine crabs!

Sure thing, grimbeny

That's the tank. Measurements are 100cm long, 50cm wide, 40cm tall.
The division of water and land is 30cm in from one end and is 13cm high. All cost $140.

Water is much clearer now than in these pics, and maybe one day I'll change the land and water portions around.

 

[Tsubakai]

There are plenty of other frozen fish foods you could try for variety. The goldfish one has a high proportion of plant matter. Frozen Hikari-brand blood worm is probably the best quality bloodworm and would be safe (unlike live black worm which will get into the gravel)

 

[Tatelina]

Old thread I know. But why is there tubing coming out of the sand?

 

[urodacus_au]

To get water to the bottom. Gives them a more natural moisture gradient.