Crab care

[Chris Ritenour]

Hi I was thinking about buying a calico crab. I was wondering if anyone here has experience with these beauties. I just need to know what to feed them, temps, decor and the such. I would be keeping it in a species tank with a single specimen.

 

[dbl]

Welcome to R2R Chris. No personal experience calico crabs so hopefully others chime in.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Welcome to R2R!

Calico Crabs definitely need a sand bed to be happy, they won't be out and about during the day much as well. Most of the time you will just see their eyes and antennae poking up out of the sand. Not reef safe as they are opportunistic feeders and corals can't run away. Snails will also be at risk; it's not uncommon to see a related species here in Pensacola called the shy-face crab munching on lettered olive snails and luna snails even during the day. They shouldn't bother bigger fish but smaller and weaker/slow-moving fish may be at risk.

Crabs are pretty much the garbage cans of the sea, so they will eat just about anything you give them. For your crab I would give it whole silversides, chopped squid, clams/mussels on the half shell, and perhaps a little bit of nori from time to time

They're definitely a cool looking critter! Good luck with the little fella, it should be fairly hardy!

 

[KJ]

Calico crabs are scavengers, not hunters, and they feed on the detritus (decomposing organic matter from plants and animals), serving in the diverse "garbage disposal" community of the ocean.

 

[Chris Ritenour]

Welcome to R2R!

Calico Crabs definitely need a sand bed to be happy, they won't be out and about during the day much as well. Most of the time you will just see their eyes and antennae poking up out of the sand. Not reef safe as they are opportunistic feeders and corals can't run away. Snails will also be at risk; it's not uncommon to see a related species here in Pensacola called the shy-face crab munching on lettered olive snails and luna snails even during the day. They shouldn't bother bigger fish but smaller and weaker/slow-moving fish may be at risk.

Crabs are pretty much the garbage cans of the sea, so they will eat just about anything you give them. For your crab I would give it whole silversides, chopped squid, clams/mussels on the half shell, and perhaps a little bit of nori from time to time

They're definitely a cool looking critter! Good luck with the little fella, it should be fairly hardy!

Thank you for the reply and care info! Glad I made its tank a species only tank!

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Thank you for the reply and care info! Glad I made its tank a species only tank!

Happy to help!

 

[Chris Ritenour]

A couple more things... do know how long I drip acclimate these guys? Do you know how long I have to wait for a newly setup tank before I can put one in? Do they need water movement?

 

[jsker]

Welcome to R2R

do know how long I drip acclimate these guys?

I would suggest on hour.

Do you know how long I have to wait for a newly setup tank before I can put one in

45 days, they need algae to eat

Do they need water movement?

it's always good to have water movement

 

[PokeFish]

Anyone know if they would try to eat a living fish specifically wasp fish?

 

[ShepherdReefer]

Hello and welcome to the channel. I do not have any experience.

 

[Jimbhoy13]

Sorry Chris I have no experience of them.

 

[Schraufabagel]

 

[Manny’s Reef]

Hello and welcome to R2R. We sure are glad to have you here.