Foods to prevent cannibalism.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:56 pm

After thinking about it a lot (and I mean a LOT) I think I'm going to try to let the crabbies molt where they are. If I choose to do this, (and even if I don't come to think of it) it's going to be very important i'm giving my crabbies good food so they don't eat eachother lol. They dont seem terribly interested in ANYTHING I've given them so far. I don't know if I'm giving them too much and not noticing or if they arent eating or what. What foods are best for this? I;m thinking so far:

shrimp
crab meat (would imitation crab meat work?)
tuna
fish
raw chicken
brine shrim
bloodworms

basically meat. Have any people not had attacks and leave their molters in the tank? What do you feed them? If you have had an attack what were you feeding yours? I have a 10 g tank with four crabs, it's reached its limit for now b/c I have a medium and three smalls. I plan to upgrade but not anytime terribly soon. Would space be something to consider for attacking crabs? Do they seem to do it more b/c they arent getting the sufficient foods as well as they're crowded?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:59 pm

Imitation crabmeat is full of salt and other things... I don't think I would want to risk it...

for foods:
My first thought would be shrimp tails...

NaRnAR · Post by **NaRnAR** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 2:10 pm

I leave mine in the tank unless I catch them and then I ISO them...which is maybe 2 out of a bunch of molts a year.

I feed shrimp, dried brine and krill a lot, oils (coconut or Extra Virgin Olive Oil), they always have a cuttle bone available, lots of fruits and veggies (dried or have been frozen), and things that have tannin (raisins, wood, leaves) and then I let their food rot a bit in the dish--it sounds gross but rotting organic material produce nitrogen which the crabs need as well...since they are scavengers that eat decaying matter

I just take it out once it starts molding...although I have seen them eat mold and nothing bad has ever happened.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 8:58 pm

I've been letting them molt in the tank and feeding a high-protein diet thinking it would keep them from messing with each other. I feed a high-protein food every night. Usually it's some kind of meat (shrimp, salmon, krill or silversides) but it can also be nuts (peanuts, almonds, pine nuts, etc). I would say it works to prevent them from wanting to munch on each other because that's never been a problem, but it doesn't stop them from accidentally digging each other up, stealing shells from molters or just generally screwing up each other's molts in the course of their normal playing. I've now started to iso them again (in a plastic container inside the tank) after having too many problems. That said, different tanks may be different so I'd say try it and see how it goes. My only suggestion is to research the protein levels in different nuts and use those too.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:28 pm

i have NEVER had anyone eat another tank-mate... i feed penutbutter mized with different things like nuts, raisins, honey, crumbled-up leaves,... i do not feed meat that often b/c of my parents... sesoning things before i know it...

i usually do not ISO them because i do not want to stress them out... if they do a surface molt i just put the top half of a bottle over them.

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i just got a 40gal

12 hermies:
PP: 9
cavs: 1
Es: 2
2 jumbo, 5 med, 5 tiny