Fiddler Crabs in a 12 Gal Tank

**Ampatent** · 08-04-2009, 02:45 AM

Ok, I'd like a simple little tank that I can just have fun with. I figured putting a couple Fiddler Crabs (Maybe a male and a female) in a small tank would be easy enough.

I read that they need some land in addition to the water. So would a 12 Gallon Eclipse System be enough to give the crabs enough water and sand to thrive?

Also, if I do incorporate a male and female crab will they mate in captivity?

**aquatic lover** · 08-04-2009, 07:11 AM

Yes they will mate in captivity but the zoea(zoea is the larvae stage of the new born baby fiddlers) will not survive in captivity because the zoea needs natural occuring things like tidal waves and other things and the zoea needs natural foods. A 10gal tank can house up to four fiddlers so a 12gal can probaly house five crabs. Your idea is great, it should work out fine. And when the crabs molt, leave there exoskelaton in there so the molted crab can eat it, the crab needs to eat the shell so it can regain it's needed calcium. And fiddler crabs need brackish water.

**Ampatent** · 08-04-2009, 11:45 AM

Awesome, thanks for the info...

**AABatteries** · 08-04-2009, 11:55 AM

Everything in aquaticlover's post seems to be fine except one part. 4 can go in a 10g and 5 in the 12g. The 10g has a bigger foot print than a 12g eclipse last I checked. So, that would mean that you could keep 4 in both a 10g or 12g.