29G Brackish

[DSNinjaX]

That's pretty cool! I wonder why that Georgia Aquarium doesn't keep crabs like that . . .

[Rocky]

I think your original big male just couldn't handle all those ladies It probably takes a lot out of ya to wave that thing around all day.
I seriously love all your little ones I'd love to have fids one day, but I just can't handle all the craziness of full water tanks :/ I'll keep myself sated with the thousands of little crabbies for me to play with when I go to the beach

[ElleGirl]

I was excited to see your sand fiddlers. Those are the type you see here on the beach in Florida. Here's a pic of one I caught (and released) at Pine Island Beach, near Springhill Florida.







Is that the species you had a hard time keeping alive? There might be a temperature difference for the different species. I know it gets down right HOTTTT here.

[wodesorel]

Yes! That is exactly what they were!

It might have been temperature, or it might have been their version of PPS. I had two females out of that entire group make it through molting. They're still doing great and they stick out like a sore thumb right now because they're the only two without eggs. (They don't have one of their men around and apparently they can't or won't cross breed.)

I'm sure they do like it hot. But so far they seem to be doing well with the 72 degrees+ (it's normally around 75) that the tank is at. Thankfully. I just LOVE the purple and pink!


Redid the tank last week. Moved the filter around, moved stuff around, used plexi pieces to make the tank into Fort Knox as I had two escapes within a week and the second female was severely injured by the cats. (They do look like a big spider when they get out....) I think she's okay though.

Also upgraded the lighting. The bowfront in storage came with a light strip that fit the 29 gallon, and it's a T-8 fixture so I finally got to use the actinic bulb I got on super sale last year! It's so awesomely clear now. No more brownness from the old glass!



The design is working better with the filter output and land section in the middle. Before the guppies were all huddled in one area, but now they're spread out evenly and everywhere! I'm also hoping it will give the males each a side to claim territory on.



I'm in love with the lighting! Seriously. We've eaten dinner in the dinning room almost every night since I swapped it out. (Which is weird, because we never do.)



Love those giant clam shells from Alaska Hermit! They really make the tank. I need more coral to build it up taller so they can look like real clams glued to a rock wall.





The ridiculously large cammo turbos I got with a shell order earlier this year. Hermit crabs get big, but they don't get that big! Might as well put them to awesome use.



Random lady, between broods.





The lighting is perfect!



Guppy mob!

And finally a series of the big dude doing his "Heeey Ladies!" dance:

[Striker0086]

It's good to hear that your out of the December tragedy! Like the new look and I must say.... you have quite a few guppies compared to the last update I read. They really took off.

[parrothead]

Look at the CLAW! If I was a girl Fiddler, I'd go out with him lol

The guppies are beautiful and you're right about that lighting, looks fantastic!

[SoulLonely]

The guppies are sooo pretty!

[sugarselections]

Seeing the pictures in this thread always makes me want fiddlers. I don't have the space for an extra tank now, but maybe someday.

[Lord Frieza]

Me too. Maybe sometime in the future I might get some fiddlers. Love the setup and the pictures, Wode!

[wodesorel]

Had to share a new vid. My goal since last summer has been to keep only one male in the tank at any given time since the biggest one has killed the others who were breeding age. (Those claws are not just for display. They can totally pierce exo with them!) However, when we brought home some females this past spring the smallest was missing both of her front claws and when it molted it turned out to be a very young male. I think we'll be okay since by the time this little guy becomes a threat the big guy will have succumbed to old age as I've already had him for about a year and half, maybe two years and he was already a nice size when he came home. I'm keeping a close eye on them though.

Anyway, for some reason they decided to compete this morning.
http://youtu.be/B7lw-0EEVgc
The big guy's claw is so bright because he just molted about a week ago. Which was a shock, since he was already enormous before that.


Also, new tank design. Really want to find a stand for the 36 bowfront that'll be used for them. The big guy is so big that he clunks the lid when he displays. We'll be watching TV and can hear this steady Tap... Tap... Tap... from the other room!

[SoulLonely]

wow, that claw is huge looking! how big is it, like an inch??

[wodesorel]

wow, that claw is huge looking! how big is it, like an inch??

More like two and a half to three. He's ginormous.

This is the bottom part of his claw that he shed not this last time but the time before. It's not even complete and it's 1 & 7/8 inches.

[aussieJJDude]

I always wanted fids, but after seeing that... I like my hermies with the small claws!
But impressive!

[wodesorel]

I always wanted fids, but after seeing that... I like my hermies with the small claws!
But impressive!

I'll hand feed the females and don't have a problem when they crawl up my hand, but I float treats over to the males instead just to be safe. I've had them put that claw around my fingers lighty in the past, but I've never had them crunch down. Not sure if they could do any damage but totally not taking the chance.

[wodesorel]

WOW. Normally a few of the ladies are carrying eggs at any given time, but there hasn't been any with this many.





One of these days I'll actually try raising them. I keep hoping that there's enough nooks and crannies in the main tank that I'll end up with surprise babies someday, but I think the guppies eat them all the moment they hatch. :/