FW Crab ID please!

[invadertoast]

Hi guys - new to the forum and to the world of crustaceans. My mom and I were at the LFS earlier today to pick up some neon tetras for my 29gal community tank. We saw these neat little purple crabs in with a tank full of tetras and they were just too cool! The people getting fish before us asked about them and the woman working (who seemed to really know her stuff, after listening to her reccommend things for other customers) said they have been getting them for the past 8 months and that they eat algae. She has had great luck with them in the store and had no customer complaints about them bothering fish (their claws are TINY) With a price tag of $2.99 we decided to get a couple for my tank. I have 3 zebra danios, 3 cory cats, and 4 female bettas living peacefully in my tank. Today I added the 6 neons and these two crabs.

They were labeled "Thai Blue Devil Crab" but I can't find a SINGLE bit of information about them!! Can somebody please help? I was fully expecting to find all kinds of information on them but I can't find anything... I just want to be sure my fish and my crabs will be happy (I have an empty 5 gallon they can be moved to if problems arise) They're so colorful I can't help but wonder if they are really brackish water creatures?? I feel kind of silly as I'm not usually one to impulse buy, but this store has a fantastic reputation so I felt comfortable believing what I was told.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/invadertoast/IMG_1269.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/invadertoast/IMG_1276.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/invadertoast/IMG_1281.jpg

Thanks in advance!

-Lindsay

[Rue]

I'm not familiar with them...but they're adorable!:1luvu:

If you could get a species name for them, it would be easier to get more information about them...

[Angila]

they are so cute just be careful alot if crabs need dry land and water i used to have a couple of fiddler crabs they liked to crawl out of my 30 gal... so just watch out and make sure yours aren't escaping

[siymdapolio]

sorry ccant help you there and i am sure someone can but man that third picture you got there is awesome!!!

That is some such a goofy awesome picture :19: :19: :19: :19:

[Arkie]

excellent pics, good luck in your searching... they are the coolest looking crabs that ive seen, and if i saw them i would have probably got some too lol :19: :19: :19:

[angelcakes]

im guessing a rainbow crab

[invadertoast]

Hey guys - I've got an ID (thanks to someone on my ball python forum of all places, lol)

Uca forcipata
ttp://atlas.drpez.org/Uca-forcipata-fotos

One of them died last night :( The other seems to be doing fine, but will be getting her (fiddler crab females have tiny claws, right?) own tank later after I return the dead one to the store.

My 29 gallon has an eclipse hood, so no escapees, and a 3-D rock background that the surviving one has figured out how to climb, but since they apparently like brackish water I don't want to force them to live in fresh. I like my animals to thrive! I'll post an update later tonight...

[Treerat]

Female golden fiddler crab

[Angila]

Get one with a big claw and a little claw (boy fiddler) they are halarious they do this crazy dance it looks like the robot ha ha ha.... i miss my crabs.... but u will have alot of fun watching them they are sooo amusing