Rainbow Land Crabs (Cardisoma armatum)

[pufferpuggirl]

Hey, very nice, I like the way you've got the cave buried in the sand. Did you remove the water? In some of the photos it looks as if you've taken out the water.

I've still not seen my big male, he seems to spend all his time down in the hole. My camera finally died, but I've ordered another one which is supposed to come any day now, and when it does, I will show you how the tank looks now. I took out that huge big rock that was in there and put big pieces of bark in. There's now two tunnels, the one main big one, where I think the male is, and then there's another smaller tunnel that I think one of the females hangs out in.

I'd like to think my guy has molted while he's down there, but there's also the possibility that he may die as well. If he does die, I'm not going to try getting another crab, I will leave it at two.

Anyway, well done on your tank, your crabs look happy and a happy crab is a good crab to have!

[ste123]

no the water is still there must just be the camera position. I think the bigger of my crabs is hiding, i didnt see him for a day or two and im not at home now. Il be checking on them tonight when i get back.

What are you going to do with the shell if he does molt? Because they will tear it apart and it will probably get lost in the sand and its not the nicest thing to have rotting in the tank.

[pufferpuggirl]

I don't know ... but what's in my mind at the moment is what if that crab dies? I don't want to disturb the tunnel in case he's molting, but if he dies, it will be nasty down there, although I suppose I will smell it if he does die. I am hoping that he doesn't.
I put some earthworms in the tank tonight, just to see what happens with them. Been feeding them to my puffers, but just wanted to see if the crabs will do anything with them, should be interesting. Will let you know if they end up eating them.

[ste123]

did they eat them then? i gave mine sum left over fish the other day. thought id took it all out last night then got in my room today and it stank!!!! little bits of fish everywhere. oops. they've dug sum good tunnels lol it cool.

hows ur male?

[ste123]

not heard back in a while, any news about your male crab?

[pufferpuggirl]

Hi, well I'm not sure what to think of my male. He's been out of the tunnels, moving between the land and the water, and his eye looks better, and so does the claw -- but yet he's not molted, of that I am certain. I was hoping he would, but as long as he's living, that's a good thing.
They have dug tunnels every single place they possibly can and I'm surprised some of them have not caved in because they are digging them so close together. I'd love to have the space to have another tank like my 142-gallon tank, it's almost a cube so it's got alot of space where the crabs could dig all sorts of tunnels, but I just don't have the space, and really, if I do get another tank, it's going to be for my puffers, not the crabs unfortunately.
I moved my little red-claw crabs into a tank on their own, it's just a very small tank, which used to be my snail breeding tank, but the snails are doing better in my Congo puffer's tank, than in the "snail tank", so I decided to put the crabs in that tank. However, I went to clean it tonight and found one of my red-claws dead. I am hoping it's not my oldest one, but there really is no way of telling because they all look exactly the same. I hope no more die -- although it was a nice treat for my Ceylon puffers. Even though the crab was dead, they really went crazy over it!

How's your bunch doing?

[ste123]

thats great, maybe he's just slowly recovering and won't need to molt until its time. My lot seem to be doin fine!!I've been wawtchin them nearly every night as they all start to come out at about 9 oclock and play, then one of them is usually still playin at about 10 in the mornin. They havn't been fighting at all. They all just leave each other alone! Last night the big one took some food out of my hand (he's been REALLY scared of me recently, the only time i've seen him come out of his really cool 3 way tunnel haha is to get some food and quickley run back in) and after that he was wonderin around all night.

You might frown on this, but i've put a few male guppies in the water part of my tank. At first it was just to see if the crabs ate them ( i know thats cruel but its also natural) but the crabs just leave them, it's as if they hav'nt even noticed they're there! So now i have some nice pretty fish to watch in the day time when the crabs are all asleep haha.

[pufferpuggirl]

it's good to hear about your gang doing so well ... and I don't frown on you putting guppies in the water at all. I have mudskippers and I put mollies in their water, and once in a great while, one will go missing and I know that the big male mudskipper has probably eaten it. And yes, it is natural. I don't have a problem with things like that, as long as the fish aren't being tortured and cruelly treated, then it's just part of nature.

[ste123]

haha woke up this mornin to find half a fish on the bottom of the tank.
oops. lol.

I got some bright blue gravel for the water part of my tank and it looks really good!! The crabs look so colourful against it! would definitely reccoment it.

[pufferpuggirl]

You probably won't like me for this, but I've been thinking lately and I am going to see if I can find a good home for my 3 crabs, as I need the tank they are in for one of my puffers. I have a couple of puffers that are getting too big for their current tank, so if I can rehome the crabs, then I will have a 3-foot tank available. I feel badly but also I don't really get to enjoy them much anymore. I could see them better when I had them in mostly water, yet that wasn't how they are happiest. I know they feel safe being down in their tunnels, but I rarely get to see mine anymore.

Shame that you aren't closer to Worksop, Notts, because I would let you have them for free. I don't know how long it will take me to find a home for them, but I don't want someone to take them and mistreat them, they deserve better than that. I mean, if I didn't care about them, I could feed them to my puffers -- but I do care, so I won't be doing that.

[ste123]

well if you dont get to enjoy them then there's not much point having them at all. Its great that you aren't just going to give them to anyone and want to find them a good home. Wish i could help lol.

But thanks alot for all the help you've given me!! Was really good and now my crabs have a great place.

[pufferpuggirl]

I told my friend about my crabs and he wants them, so I will probably take them over to him tomorrow. When I came home and seen the two females coming out of their tunnels, I felt a bit bad, like a traitor, for wanting to get rid of them. They were sifting through the sand and I just felt really horrible. I know they might have a good life with my friend, but then again, maybe they won't. I don't mean anything bad against him, but I am just thinking that they have their tunnels here, and seem happy, and I got to thinking what if he doesn't give them the sort of set-up that I have them in now?
I keep thinking of my puffers, because they are my first love, and nothing against the crabs, but the puffers are most important .... and if I rehome my crabs, then I will have another tank freed up, and not just a small tank, but a 3-foot tank and I can do alot with that.
The funny thing is that I've just ordered the Aqualog book on Shrimps, Crabs and Crayfish. Oh well, I guess it won't hurt for me to read up on crabs.
I'm glad I was able to help you, and it makes me happy that your crabs are doing so well now. I just wish I knew someone as caring as you that would take the crabs. I feel stuck because I want to use the tank they are in, and my friend wants them tomorrow .... but I also feel just a bit reticent to get rid of them, at least to my friend, only because I can't be sure they will have as nice a home as I've given them.

[ste123]

could you not just buy another tank? you can get them pretty cheap these days

[pufferpuggirl]

it would be an issue of space. I've already got 19 tanks and really not any space for any more, plus I really can't get more, it's enough for me to take care of all these that I have. So I guess they will have to go, unfortunately. I do feel badly about it, but at least they aren't being killed, or sold to someone who will feed them to their fish. So that's what I need to remember.

I sat down and made up a "care sheet" to give to my friend, hopefully he will heed to it.

[ste123]

thats cool. y dont you give him your sand? that way they'll still have a nice place to dig tunnels