Fiddler Crab Setup

[tootie123]

I've decided to turn my 10 gallon tank into a brackish setup for fiddler crabs. Everytime I visit the local petsmart they have a tank full of fiddler crabs. They look so cool and I think I'd enjoy them. I dont know how many I want to get. I read somewhere that they only get o be 1-2in long including claws. I have half the supplies needed, and Im saving up to get the other supplies. Im planning on making the setup really simple, but I still want it to have a natural look to it. My 10g stays around 79-80F, is that an alright temp? I already have gravel in the tank and I was wondering if its alright to use it. I only need to buy marine salt, a hydrometer, and a new test kit. Im planning on having the tank setup by the end of December. Ill get some pics of it setup how I like it.

[tootie123]

http://guitarfish.org/images/posts/e...10-28-2006.jpg
Are the rocks in this pic ok to use in my setup?

[squirt_12]

o...first of all....you CAN us grael but sand is better as the crabs like to burrow and you should onlg have about 1-2gallons of water in the tank as the crabs HAVE TO HAVE LAND to go onto. Also you should make a huge pile of sand out of the water for them to burrow in. They will eat any kind of plant you put into the tank.
those rocks that are in the pic are fine to use. Do the vinegar test and if it passes then scrub them down good. (pour vinegar on the rocks and it they fizz they are no good....if they don't fizz then they are safe to use)
you can get about 1-3 crabs into the tnak but i would only get 1 male. (the males are the ones with the big claw....females have no big claw).
they eat veggie rounds, shrimp pellets, crab pellets, flake food, blodworms, brine shrimp, shrimp, pellet food, any meaty food.
well i think that i covered everything...i can post a pic of what my fiddler crab setup looks like??????? ok i will.

EDIT - the tnak was just cleaned thats why the water is cloudy..also it is a 20gallon tank. and i have 2 males and 4 females in it.

[tootie123]

This is a drawing of how Im setting the tank up. I started doing it last night. If I set my tank up as shown above, I'll save money and I can have my fiddler crabs by this weekend. All Im gonna have to buy is a hydrometer, sea salt, and a test kit. Im gonna add my heater to the bottom of the tank in the back. It's at 80F is that ok? I also have some small river stones for the tank. The tank must have lots of humidity because you barely see throught the glass. I also added a desk lamp beside the tank and it provides lots of light. Im gonna get some pics of it when Im done setting it up. The petsmart where I'll be getting them has them in a terrestrial setup. How do I know if its brackish or not. I hate asking them because they give bad info.


Materials I have
tank
thermometer
heater
filter
gravel
decorations
food
dechorinator
net
lighting
secure cover

Meterials Needed
sea salt
hydrometer
test kit (im gonna get 1 with nitrate, nitrite, total hardness, total alkalinity, and pH level)

[tootie123]

I heard that you can get 4 if they are all female.

[tootie123]

I had sand when I had fish and it was so annoying. Thats why im going with gravel.

[squirt_12]

80F is ok but if you can i would turn it down a little....i have mine at 75F and they are doing great.

I do not know how to tell if it is brackish or not because i just guess when i add salt.

the setup looks nice.

EDIT - yes there is alot of humidity...it is from the water triny go evaporate.
Also...they will NOT HAVE BABIES if you have 1male and 1 female. They need natural pigments inorder to survive (the larvae)

[tootie123]

Do they need a heater or a filter?

[squirt_12]

you should have both....right now i only have a heater but i am going to get a filter. A submersable filter or a repto filter would work fine.

[tootie123]

I have an Elite Mini Filter in the tank.