New member with a question

Please post here if you are a new crab owner and someone will be along shortly to welcome you to the HCA! This is also the place to welcome new crabbies to your clan!
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LostBayouCrabs
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New member with a question

Post by LostBayouCrabs » Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:56 am

Hi, I'm new to this forum, but I've been taking care of a couple of purple pinchers for the last year. One of them has burrowed into the substrate, possibly for moulting. Cage conditions are optimal. I'm starting to wonder if the crab on the surface will be stressed by his friend's absence, though the buried crab does occasionally make scratching noises. Does my crab need another friend or is he alright while his old friend is buried away?

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CrabbyLover77
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Re: New member with a question

Post by CrabbyLover77 » Sat Nov 20, 2021 9:35 am

Hi there!

I believe the crab that is up knows the other is still in the tank. So I wouldn't worry about getting another buddy if you don't want to. I had 2 crabs for many years, and my oldest always seemed to know his buddy was still there when she was under. When his buddy passed away, he def knew the difference. I caught him hugging an empty shell, sitting on top of a toy crab I put in with him, and sitting next to a little mirror in his tank (I put that in there so he thought he had a friend). As soon as I adopted 2 more friends for him he pepped right up. Of course, some crabs don't mind being alone, but my guy has always liked friends.

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Topic author
LostBayouCrabs
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:18 am
Location: USA

Re: New member with a question

Post by LostBayouCrabs » Sat Nov 20, 2021 12:18 pm

Thanks. No, I don't want a third crab. I learned that they're always captured from the wild after I impulse bought the first crab from a beach shop. I only bought a second crab because some girl told me the first crab absolutely had to have a tank mate. But more experienced people than her are starting to say that crabs probably don't need to live together. I'm undecided on whether they need one another and I really hope that they won't eventually kill each other, despite proper care. That does sometimes happen to people on this forum according to posts.

I'm not that worried about them killing each other though. If it ever goes down between my crabs then the winner will be a solo crab and my two seem to get along pretty well so far. If I ever get more crabs I will adopt, but I would probably prefer not to risk introducing any new crabs to my two.

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CrabbyLover77
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Re: New member with a question

Post by CrabbyLover77 » Sat Nov 20, 2021 1:32 pm

LostBayouCrabs wrote:Thanks. No, I don't want a third crab. I learned that they're always captured from the wild after I impulse bought the first crab from a beach shop. I only bought a second crab because some girl told me the first crab absolutely had to have a tank mate. But more experienced people than her are starting to say that crabs probably don't need to live together. I'm undecided on whether they need one another and I really hope that they won't eventually kill each other, despite proper care. That does sometimes happen to people on this forum according to posts.

I'm not that worried about them killing each other though. If it ever goes down between my crabs then the winner will be a solo crab and my two seem to get along pretty well so far. If I ever get more crabs I will adopt, but I would probably prefer not to risk introducing any new crabs to my two.
You're welcome. The only one I know that adopts out captive bred babies in the US is Mary Akers. All but one of my crabs are rescues from this site or my local neighborhood site. I have 13 crabs, and they usually all get along. I only had one issue of a female crab wanting another females crab's shell this year. They did switch shells, and everything has been quiet ever since. As long as conditions and substrate depth are good, I don't worry about them eating each other. My guys seem to prefer company and hang out together, but some crabs are ok alone. Just depends on their personality.

Happy Crabbing

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