new fiddler crab - questions

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 3:38 pm

I just got a fiddler crab!! he is so cute. however, I have several questions:

1) is the salt water I use for my hermies ok for the crab?
2) does he need a buddy?
3) will he like freeze dired bloodworms?

and any good links will would be appreciated!

NaRnAR · Post by **NaRnAR** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 5:14 pm

1.) yes although they like it a little diluted a bit..they tend to prefer brackish water but do fine in water that differ in salinity.

2.) they like buddies, mine was quite lonely and bored without a buddy.

3.) THey'll eat those yes, but they also like algae wafers (which is a main part of their diet) as well as silversides and all sorts of other hermit crab edible foods! Mine also like the blister packs of frozen fish food...especially the mysis shrimp and brine shrimp.

I have a care tip thing in my blog in the October Archive on Fiddler Care.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 6:12 pm

yes, I already read that, ti was very helpful! my mom was like, 'get on teh computer and do some research' right after I got it and I immediatley thought of your signature!!

so they fresh water too, in a little jar on land? deep enough for them to submerge in?

I'll be making another trip back to the pet store to get a buddy and a water temp reader. fiddler crabs there are only $3.52! This will end up being cheaper than hermies - I already have a lot of the needed stuff.

ok, so dillute some salt water, get a buddy, and water temp reader. got it. anything else?

NaRnAR · Post by **NaRnAR** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 6:19 pm

aww thanks

Yes I use the plastic lid of a Skippy Peanut Butter container for mine, and i just fill it up and they like to sit in it with their little eyes above water lol!

Mine like to bask, so if you have a way to do that you can get a lamp and a Day-Glo for them to bask in...Mine have a clamplamp that sits facing down on their screen lid that has a 75 watt bulb in it...

...and a rock for them to climb on. I stuck mine in the middle of their pond so they can bask on the rock there. Hmm...I think thats about it...I keep plastic wrap on half of my tank to keep in humidity as well.

I think thats about it.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Dec 20, 2005 7:52 pm

last time I check the temp was 80 and it was about 75% humidity.... is thsi pretty good?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:47 am

haha, I have MORE questions! I want to get this right.

1) is a day glo lamp different from a regular lamp? I hvae an extra 60 watt lamp laying around.

2) what are the pros and con of housing males and females together or males with males? I don't want the guys fighting and I know that they can't reproduce in captivity, but I don't want the female laying eggs just to have them die...

3) do you feed them on land or in the water? I saw him eating stuff while underwater, but in your instrucitons at your website you mentioned them 'dragging food into the water' so I was wondering.

4) do they like salmon? (the unseasoned inside of baked patties)

5) I saw the pics of your fiddler crab cage... boy I was proud of mine until I saw yours!!!! that is so awesome. how do you get the sand to not absorb the water? it is so lovely!

kayla_d · Post by **kayla_d** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 10:56 am

HI I have 2 fiddlers. I will try to answer some of your questions.
1) is a day glo lamp different from a regular lamp? I hvae an extra 60 watt lamp laying around. What you need is day glo bulb its not the same as a house hold light bulb.

3) do you feed them on land or in the water? I saw him eating stuff while underwater, but in your instrucitons at your website you mentioned them 'dragging food into the water' so I was wondering. I feed them on land. I also feed rotten fruit on land. I try not to get the food in the water.

4) do they like salmon? (the unseasoned inside of baked patties) YOu can try to feed a small protion to them if they dont like it they wont eat it

how do you get the sand to not absorb the water? it is so lovely! LOL it does absorb water its not dryish like the hermit crabs tank. [/code]

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:02 am

great, thanks for the answers! I think I am starting to get to the bottom of all my questions finally...

(

stupid question) so If I find a 60 wat day glo bulb would it work in my lamp? and where can someone find these bulbs?

kayla_d · Post by **kayla_d** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:55 am

You have to check the lamp and make sure of the wattage it can handle. Some smaller desk lamps take a lower wattage bulb. You can pick the bulbs up at any pet store.
You also need heat at night I use a 15 watt moon glo in the tank lid at night.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 4:33 pm

well I am in a larger city right now, so I looked at two pet stores and Wal-mart to see what I could find in the way of bulbs.

nothing at wal-mart and some incredibly over priced bulbs at one of the pet stores and no bulbs at the other pet store. my dad said something about natural lights.... they put out the whole spectrum or something? the bulbs at the pet store put out the whole spectrum and uva rays it said on the package, so if they are the same would a 'natural' bulb work?

and then what about infared lights? dad says they just put off heat but not much light... that sounds good for both day and night. the crabs are getting plenty of light where they are already, so I was thinking heat source.

kayla_d · Post by **kayla_d** » Fri Dec 23, 2005 6:54 pm

A Natural light bulb would work or a plant light.
A infared bulb would be fine to use for a heat mine like to bask under the infared bulb.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 4:55 pm

well I got some bulbs that 'stimulate natural sunlight' with the whole spectrum so I think that will work. Now - about molting.

I need at the info on that - how long does it take? what are the signs? anything else I need to know? do they need to be seperated?

I got another male... the first crab is now Fiddle Faddle and I need to think of another name too! Fiddle Faddle's life is all about eating and nothing else... boy he is a pig - the other one tries to escape but not Fiddle Faddle! he is too busy eating. lol

kayla_d · Post by **kayla_d** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 5:50 pm

They molt really quick not like hermit crabs which can take weeks. Mine and Nanars both molt under the fresh water dish it makes a cave between the sand and the salt water. I have never seprated mine when they molt.
Mine do not eat the exo.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 6:11 pm

well yesterday I was almost sure he was molting - he looked like his skin was a shade lighter than usual and I just figured... but he is back to normal! maybe it was the light

when I got him at the pet store there was a male exo so I think one of mine molted before coming here - not sure which one tho. a female was eating it, but there wasn't a whole ton of food in there so I guess that was like a feast!

well thanks for all the help! I should be out of questions now.... i hope! lol

NaRnAR · Post by **NaRnAR** » Mon Dec 26, 2005 11:24 am

Yes I had one molt in a cave they made under the fresh waterdish...at least I think that is what I saw...could have been Bobs legs too lol!

Mine mostly molt underwater in their "ocean" under a rock ledge or in the plants. I really dont notice and PMS other than their eyes start to get ashy and white like hermit crabs.

2) what are the pros and con of housing males and females together or males with males? I don't want the guys fighting and I know that they can't reproduce in captivity, but I don't want the female laying eggs just to have them die

Im not entirely sure they will have offspring, I think they are like hermies is that respect...but again im not sure. All I know about them mating is he does a dance by his burrow/cave and she goes in...thats all I know.

Housing males with males is fine, that is what I have and they get along great! They hide and burrow together...and they dont fight physically...if anything one will just give the other a shove and thats it. They usually just dance for their territory.