Fiddler crabs and floating island question.

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Hi,

I was at the pet store the other day and they had fiddler crabs.

I would like to have a couple in my tank, but it is my understanding
that they need air to live.

I can't really have a island in my 19" deep tank, so I was thinking I
could have something floating on top of the water attached to plant
that would allow the crab to climb and get out of the water.

I don't know if any of you guys had the same problem before, I am
curious how did you solve it?

I am not looking for anything complicated, just to have something
floating that allows the crab to stay out of the water!

[[email protected]]

You can buy floating islands from that pet place
(www.thatpetplace.com), do a search for "pi0298" for a small one and
they have at the very least a large one as well. These floating islands
are intended for aquatic turtles but can be used for just about
anything else as well. You have another option that I know of that is
cheap - stacked tupperware boxes that will make sure you won't break
the tank with anything heavy. Admittedly this isn't as pretty as a
floating island but I had considered a floating island in one of my
tanks at one point and the problem with it is just making it float
enough. The only 2 problems with the stacked tupperware is that there
isn't as much room in the tank and it looks artificial unless you
disguise it cleverly (with plastic or real plants?). There is one major
road block I can foresee with you getting fiddler crabs and using any
of the island solutions - fiddler crabs probably don't swim well enough
to get to the floating island to get out of the water and probably
can't swim well enough to get out of the water on the stacked
tupperware island also. So there may be significant risk of non-success
with this idea, but let's see if anyone else who reads this has any
ideas or comments. Later, and good luck!

[Gill Passman]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi,
>
> I was at the pet store the other day and they had fiddler crabs.
>
> I would like to have a couple in my tank, but it is my understanding
> that they need air to live.
>
> I can't really have a island in my 19" deep tank, so I was thinking I
> could have something floating on top of the water attached to plant
> that would allow the crab to climb and get out of the water.
>
> I don't know if any of you guys had the same problem before, I am
> curious how did you solve it?
>
> I am not looking for anything complicated, just to have something
> floating that allows the crab to stay out of the water!
>
I've done a quick google search and I'm not sure that these would be a good
option in a freshwater tank...unless of course you are now thinking of
changing your entire tank setup:-

Just some examples:-

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/rarespecies/a/fiddlercrabs.htm
http://pherec.org/entguides/EntGuide10-Fiddlers.html
http://www.geocities.com/ptimlin/fiddler_crab3.html
http://www.elmersaquarium.com/10fidderlercrab.htm

So from just this very brief research IMO they are not suited to a
freshwater setup.

Really depends which route you want to follow

Gill

[Kay]

wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I was at the pet store the other day and they had fiddler crabs.
>
> I would like to have a couple in my tank, but it is my understanding
> that they need air to live.
>
> I can't really have a island in my 19" deep tank, so I was thinking I
> could have something floating on top of the water attached to plant
> that would allow the crab to climb and get out of the water.
>
> I don't know if any of you guys had the same problem before, I am
> curious how did you solve it?
>
> I am not looking for anything complicated, just to have something
> floating that allows the crab to stay out of the water!
>

I have these crabs, and if you can provide something so they can get out
of the water that would be good.

I have mine in a tank with a dropped water level of 4 inches with big
rocks and slate ramps.

I do go against the grain and have it brackish water and even add liquid
calcium and iodine <small doses>. Which helps them when they molt and
regrow their shells. so far they are over a year old and doing well.

Kay

[Angrie.Woman]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> ...... fiddler crabs probably don't swim well enough
> to get to the floating island to get out of the water and probably
> can't swim well enough to get out of the water on the stacked
> tupperware island also. So there may be significant risk of non-success
> with this idea, but let's see if anyone else who reads this has any
> ideas or comments. Later, and good luck!

Well, if they can't get to it that's a problem. If they just can't get up on
it I'd try wrapping some pantyhose around it. Give em a little texture they
can grab onto. But the might get suck too. Hmmmm - one of those bags that
cocktail onions come in? We're not going to have a very natural looking tank
here, are we?

Maybe siliconed plastic plants?

A

[[email protected]]

I tried somethign yesterday that I think will work... it doesnt look
natural but it's barely visible so it doesnt distract much. :)

I got one of those cream cheese container caps and it floats really
well, and drilled a hole on the side and put in a string that is
attached to tallest plastic plant I have in the tank.

It looks alright, I'm not sure if it would hold the crab though... :)

[Kay]

wrote:
> I tried somethign yesterday that I think will work... it doesnt look
> natural but it's barely visible so it doesnt distract much. :)
>
> I got one of those cream cheese container caps and it floats really
> well, and drilled a hole on the side and put in a string that is
> attached to tallest plastic plant I have in the tank.
>
> It looks alright, I'm not sure if it would hold the crab though... :)
>

If it does not work, maybe a tall rock? Or a decoration you can buy at
the petshop? In thier tanks they have Mini Crabs which are fiddler
crabs, but anyhow they have hardy any water maybe be 2 inches and they
run around ont he gravel.

I know when I got mine I was very frusztrated on getting them to air,
thats why I just put them in thier own tank.

Kay