can anybody direct me to a site that has full info on how to care for fiddler (or mini) crabs? i just bought one and my room gets kind of cold at night and i'm wondering if i need to take special precautions so he doesn't get too cold :( i don't want to buy one of those special heaters or anything like you do for a reptile (when i bought the crab they told me they were pretty low maintenence.) i'd just leave it alone but i'm a huge softie when it comes to anything having to do with little animals and i just want to make sure he doesn't die. heh
i know their water needs to be kept at 75 to 82 degrees.
i have one of those electric heating pads, would this work or is it a bad idea???
2006-11-06 14:24:09 · 3 answers · asked by Sarah 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
You don't want these guys to get too cold. A regular heating pad is not recommended. They are not water proof, are not made to be kept on constantly and could be a fire hazard. They also do not keep a proper temperature. Your best bet is a submersible aquarium heater. And like the previous person said, they do need a land area and a water area. I am not sure what type of set up they sold you with for him/her ( the boys have the one BIG claw) but the best size for 1 to 3 crabs would be a ten gallon, with a submersible heater and a submersible filter that they make for half aquatic/half land set ups.
2006-11-06 14:50:11 · answer #1 · answered by PennyPickles17 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Taking care of your fiddler crab is not a difficult job. The first consideration is where the crab or crabs will be housed. You can fit three to five mid sized crabs in a 10 gallon aquarium. Build sandy slopes in the aquarium to give them a place to burrow. They also need lost of dry sand and rock areas that mimic their natural habitat. Some salt in the water is essential to recreating the brackish water environment fiddler crabs are accustomed to. Check the mixing requirements on the aquarium salt you purchase for preparation instructions. Without brackish water, your crabs may not be with you for a long time. An average water temperature of around 74-84 F would make your pets feel right at home. The fiddler crab, enjoys feeding off of death and destruction. Dead fish, algae, and other such organic matter is a special treat. This doesn't mean that you don't have to feed them. After all, if you keep a fairly clean aquarium, there may not be enough waste to feed on. So what do you feed scavengers? Your pet food store has an excellent choice of food specifically for your crabs. Ask for suggestions on seaweed, fresh fish, and dried shrimps. Do not overfeed. Check the aquarium water quality regularly. There are some very useful kits available for this purpose. Aim for the standard acidity of 8.0 to 8.2. Testing, cleaning and changing the water in your aquarium all contribute to a pleasant environment for your pet crabs Keeping and caring for your fiddler crab will provide you with many rewards, in the joy of watching these beautiful creatures, coexist within a carefully recreated environment, learning about them and their habits and watching them flourish.
2016-05-22 05:58:07 · answer #2 · answered by Melissa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the heating pad is for tropical tanks then it'll work good. If not you may need to get an aquarium heater. The biggest mistake people make with fiddlers is they don't give them an area to climb out of the water. They need to breath air too!
2006-11-06 14:32:34 · answer #3 · answered by pharfly1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋