Red Claw Crabs, Please Help

[amyylou]

i bought 3 red claw crabs and they all was amazing.. then one crab called patrick shed his shell, but after another crab (nibbler) started taking patricks legs and claws untill he just had 1 leg left, i took patrick out the tank but he died. but now the other crab sebastian, has just shed its shell and nibbler has started taking sebastians legs but he took both sebastians claws. ive now took sebastian out an put him in a different tank so hopfully he will have a chance of living.

i was wondering why is nibbler so aggresive? and is sebastian going to live ok? im feeding him blood worm - but feeding him by putting the blood worm on the end on my paint brush and he eats it off that so atleast i no hes not starving to death

ANY HELP? :scry:

[Dave66]

It happens when you keep crustaceans like that in close quarters. You didn't say what container they are in, but I imagine fairly small, since normally when they shed they do so under cover and away from other crabs for the reasons you just saw.

After shedding it takes time for a crustacean's shell to harden. Before it does, the crab is quite vulnerable to predation as you've seen.

Solution is a larger tank with cover such as stone grottoes, driftwood and plants.

Dave

[Aeonflame]

As dave said, when crabs and other crustaceans molt, they are very vulnerable to predators. Combine that with the fact that most crabs are quite opportunistic hunters, and you will almost always end up with one being eaten. Give them enough room and secure places to hide if keeping more than one.

[Scrup]

Also, you did name him nibbler....

Just saying...

[amyylou]

the tank is 50 litre i think.. but ive also took about 1/3 of the water out so they can acsess the air
i have this pot thing that they hide in thats where nibbler hides and stays in, i also have three rocks with a bigger rock on top making a cave sort of thing so they hide under there.
ive set up another tank so they are seperate, but im going to get a bit of drift wood insted of the stones and make more places for them to hide
i think i'll wait untill sebastian has grow atleast one claw back so i know he will be ok,

and yes he is called nibbler, think the name pretty much describes him perfect lol

thanks guys! (:

[Northernguy]

Not sure if you have seen this or not.Its a great read and may help.
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile101.html

[amyylou]

thankyou yeaa that helped, i searched alot about them before i got them too :) but thats the crabs i have.. i think their adorable!! :D lol