Fiddler Crab

[katierakel]

Just a story :)

A month and a half ago I added a Red Claw Crab (Sheldon) and a Fiddler Crab (Edward) to my tank. Sheldon crawled up the heater so I built him a floating lego pad that is anchored to the heater wire...it's actually quite nifty and he spends a lot of time on it.

Well, about a week after we got them, Edward disappeared. He was very skittish from the beginning and always hiding.

I have a small treasure chest I brought over from my 10 gallon (we're in a 55 gallon now) and I noticed the blue rocks that I had stuffed into the back of it to hold it down better had fallen out. (the new tank is red/black) I didn't really think about it...

Last night before it was "fishy night night" I saw Edward!! He quickly made his way to the back of the treasure chest. My daughter stuck her arm in and turned it around so that we could see the back of it, and yep...there he was hiding. He's been in there all this time! We also saw his big claw shell and he isn't missing one so I guess he molted.

We are VERY EXCITED that Edward is still alive!!!

[Northernguy]

lol They do love to hide!
Especially when they are molting.Their shell is soft making them easy prey.

[AABatteries]

Sheldon(J. Plankton?), along with Edward, are not in the right habitat, to my knowledge. Edward for sure, but they need land, so they can breath air. That's why Sheldon climbs up there. So, there's a chance that Edward, unless he goes up there, won't live much longer. I think I recall reading that fiddlers like slightly brackish water, too.

[katierakel]

My tank is salted for them. I have a ton of floating hornwort that Sheldon (not spongebob but big bang theory) likes to spend time in...he may be hunting fry actually...

I also notice that Edward does know how to climb up the heater as well.

Is the lego pad and floating hornwort not sufficient for "land" ?

Edward likes to stand still with his big claw up and out like he's "fishing" or something - it's quite hilarious.