Hey everyone, it’s your boy back again with another one of my little experiments. Today’s topic is something I’ve been messing around with lately: can red claw crabs live with fish? I know, it sounds a bit out there, but stick with me.
So, I started out by getting myself a few of these red claw crabs. They’re pretty cool-looking, to be honest. First thing I did was set up their crib. I learned the hard way that these guys need space, so I made sure to get a tank that’s at least 5 gallons. Filled it up, made it all nice and cozy.
Then came the next part: figuring out their living situation. I did a bit of digging and found out these fellas aren’t fully aquatic. They need some dry land to chill on. So, I added some rocks, a few plants, basically created little climbing spots for them to get out of the water whenever they felt like it. I also needed to ensure that they have fresh air to thrive healthily, I learned from someone that these crabs will have a hard time if there is little access to fresh air.
Now, for the big question: can they live with fish? I was curious, so I decided to try it out. I already had a few fish in another tank, mostly guppies and some of those speedy little Cherry Barbs, because I learned that they can live together because of their size and speed. I figured, why not introduce them to the crab crew? Moved a couple of the fish over to the crab tank, just to see what would happen.
Initially, everything seemed chill. The crabs were doing their crab thing, scuttling around, and the fish were swimming about, minding their own business. But then, I noticed something. One of my slower guppies went missing. Yeah, you guessed it – the crabs got to him. It was a bit of a bummer, but hey, it’s all part of the learning process.
I did some more research and realized that these crabs can get a bit nippy. They’re not exactly the friendliest bunch. Turns out, they can be a threat to smaller, slower-moving fish. It makes sense when you think about it – they’re crabs, after all. They’ve got those claws for a reason, right?
After that little incident, I decided to make some adjustments. I kept the faster fish, like the Cherry Barbs, in with the crabs. They seem to get along just fine. The barbs are quick enough to avoid those grabby claws, and everyone’s coexisting peacefully now. It also seems these crabs can get along with shrimp, I learned that these two can live together under the right tank conditions. But these crabs still eat those sick or slow-moving fish, so I will keep an eye on them.
So, here’s the deal: can red claw crabs live with fish? The answer is yes, but with a big asterisk. You gotta be careful about which fish you choose. Stick to the fast, agile ones, and keep an eye on things. These crabs need brackish water and fresh air to thrive. I also learned that these crabs can live with other red claw crabs, which is pretty cool. Oh, and make sure they have their own space to climb out of the water. It’s all about finding that balance, you know?
Alright, that’s it for today’s experiment. Hope you guys found this interesting. Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried anything similar, or if you have any tips to share. Catch you in the next one!
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