Red Claw Crabs
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General Information
The scientific name is Sesarma Bidens, commonly called Red Claw Crabs, Red Clawed Crabs, and Mini Crabs. The red clawed crab is very good for the aquarium because of their ability to clean or scavenge all the uneaten food in the tank. They seem to get along with fish in the tanks as long as they are fed. In general, the red clawed crabs keep to themselves and are peaceful.
Housing your Red Clawed Crab
As with other crabs, it is imperative that the red clawed crab is given dry land to climb on and be able to breathe air. The Under Water Island series provided by Atlantis Under Water islands offer habitats that sit on the bottom of the aquarium and supply dry land and fresh air. The crabs will go in and out of the biosphere at the crabs’ leisure. The crab homes also have a feeder tube that allows a person to put shrimp pellets, tubiflex worms and even live crickets into the habitat from the top of the aquarium.
Feeding your Red Clawed Crab
As talked about in Housing your Red Clawed Crab, if you own a crab home from Atlantis Under Water Islands, feeding your red claw crab is fun! Using the feeder tube you can put all kinds of food such as shrimp pellets, brine shrimp, black worms, tubifles worms and the favorite- live crickets. Fiddler crabs love crickets, but do not hunt down the crickets as aggressively as the red clawed crabs do. The crickets provide nutritious meals and are a great way to have food that will last for many days to come.
Compatibility with other Fish
The red clawed crab seems to get along with most tropical fish however; they are slightly more aggressive than the fiddler crabs. If you have a fish that is dying of old age or maybe isn’t doing too well, the red clawed crabs will take care of that fish for you. Red clawed crabs have two strong claws that are made for grabbing. People get intimidated when they see the male fiddler crab, however, rarely does the fiddler crab attack or use its big claw as a weapon. On the other hand, red clawed crabs have two claws and aren’t afraid to use them. So if you find yourself with a red clawed crab that is overly aggressive, just place crickets inside the Under Water Island and let the red clawed crab take out it’s aggression on the crickets. Remember that red clawed crabs get along with fish best when they are fed regularly.
Size and Life Span
The environment and diet can cause the size of red clawed crabs to vary, but they usually are 1.8 to 2 inches (4 – 5 cm.) Red clawed crabs can live 3+ years if cared for properly. Fresh water should have a small amount of instant ocean salt or sea salt added and red clawed crabs should always have the option of dry land. You can offer dry land with an Atlantis Under Water Island habitat or with a rock or wood sticking above the waters surface.
Ideal Environment
The ideal environment may vary from crab to crab, but it is important to remember that you offer dry land for the red clawed crabs. In their natural environment, red clawed crabs can spend as much time out of water as in the water. If you don’t have your aquarium drained of some water with a rock sticking out of the water, you can place an Under Water Island in the aquarium, which will provide fresh air and dry land. Red clawed crabs are a little shyer than other crabs, so it is good to offer plenty of obstacles in the aquarium. When an Under Water Island is used, the red clawed crab will most likely live or spend all their time around the biosphere. The red clawed crabs like hiding by the entry way in the Under Water Lagoon model. Although red clawed crabs are mostly peaceful, they love catching and eating crickets. This can be done using the feeder tube and an Under Water Island. Catching the food seems to help them be happier and healthier.
Temperature
The water temperature can vary from 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, ideal is between 75 and 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
