Red Claw Crabs

The most popular freshwater crab variety keeps growing in recognition.

Identifying Traits
Red claw crabs (Perisesarma bidens) reach 2-3 inches bearing reddish legs coupled with a mottled brown carapace making them instantly recognizable. Peaceful dispositions and completely aquatic adaptations lend well towards aquarium life.

Housing Needs
These brachyuran crabs require paludarium style enclosures providing half aquatic and dry land areas. Heavily planted setups with overhanging basking zones allow dividing their time between both areas conveniently while limiting potential escape artists!

Fiddler Crabs

Named tellingly for one oversized claw in males, fiddler crabs offer another common pick.

Identifying Traits
Several color morphs exist but identification centers upon males featuring a single massively enlarged red or yellow tinted claw outstretching their bodies. Females instead have two smaller equal sized pincers lacking bright colors.

Housing Needs
Fiddlers need the same divided wet/dry habitat allowing alternating immersion opportunities. However burrowing tendencies demand deep sand beds. Avoid housing fiddlers with fish able to consume tiny crab lings.

Thai Micro Crabs

These tiny freshwater crab variants claim intrigue from nano setup aquarists.

Identifying Traits
Tiny round crab bodies measuring only 0.6 inch fully grown characterize Thai micro crabs (Limnopilos naiyanetri). Their appearance resembles mini marine spider crabs. Delicate peaceful dispositions limit housing combos able to accommodate them.

Housing Needs
Successful long term Thai micro crab care requires stabilized setups with gentle fish unlikely to attack or consume them. Planted shrimp breeding tanks work well. However, these microbenthic crabs require specialized care exceeding levels other freshwater species need.

Vampire Crabs

Lastly vampire crabs allure with their curiously marked legs and terrestrial behaviors.

Identifying Traits
Vampire crabs feature black and purple banding on leg joints lending them an almost spider-like appearance as semiterrestrial crabs only requiring partial moisture retaining substrate conditions avoiding standing water with gills not adapted towards permanent immersion.

Housing Needs
Vampire crabs live predominantly land based but require a perpetually highly humid palludarium type enclosure with pools for drinking and humidity. Avoid combining them with fish.

Conclusion

Freshwater crabs make uniquely engaging exotic aquatic pets but require species specific environments catering towards individual nuanced needs unlike fish properly. Confirm capacity properly furnishing sizeable setups accommodating essential mix terrestrial and aquatic areas facilitated before obtaining these fantastically different crustaceans certainly commanding proper preparations beforehand!

FAQs About Freshwater Crabs

1. Do freshwater crabs need land?
Yes. Unlike fully aquatic marine crabs, all freshwater crab species retain essential biological functions demanding retaining a dry land area allowing periods of emersed breathing using specialized lung-like organs to varying degrees dictated by individual species types assessed before acquiring specimens.

2. What’s the largest freshwater crab?
The Australian giant freshwater crab (Austrothelphusa transversa) claims the largest size reaching over 12 inches claw to claw, however virtually no other freshwater varieties surpass 6 inches, with many remaining under 3 inch maximum lengths at maturity.

3. Do freshwater crabs need salt water?
Pure freshwater suits all commonly kept aquarium crab species just fine, unlike marine crabs requiring some salt. However always use dechlorinated, conditioned tap water matching normal parameters they naturally inhabit.

4. Can fiddler crabs live fully submerged?
No. male fiddler crabs featuring overgrown claws require access towards dry land regularly. Even females that lack enlarged pincers depend upon emersed breathing through developed lung structures unable to survive fully submerged lacking sufficient gill adaptations towards permanent water breathing.

5. How long do freshwater crabs live in captivity?
Average captive lifespans range 1-3 years for most freshwater crab species given properly setup enclosures. However vampire crabs and Thai micro crabs often only surviving one year unfortunately as more sensitive choices despite intensive husbandry efforts.

The post What are the different varieties of freshwater crabs? appeared first on Central Pets And Aquariums.

High Protein Foods

Protein comprises the foremost dietary necessity to fuel growth and exoskeleton molting processes.

Fish Pellets and Wafers
Sinking carnivore pellets, algae rounds and commercial fish foods designed for bottom feeders including shrimp contain plentiful protein levels perfect for dwarf crayfish. Break larger wafers into bite-size pieces.

Meaty Treats
Offer tiny bits of fresh seafood like unseasoned lean chicken, seafood, earthworms and insects as supplemental protein sources several times weekly as well.

Blanched Vegetables

While meats drive primary nutritional demands, vegetables offer beneficial additional vitamins and minerals.

Zucchini, Spinach and Carrots
Chop or quickly blanch more fibrous vegetables like zucchini, carrots and spinach to soften them for easier eating. Refresh after 1 minute plunged in boiling water. These veggies get eagerly devoured by micro crustaceans.

Change Out Daily
Remove uneaten dried veggies after 24 hours and replace with fresh alternatives the next day to avoid harmful bacteria or fungi accumulation on decaying matter.

Nutrient-Rich Live Foods

Living foods also supplementation captive diets nicely with their movement triggering predation instincts.

Brine Shrimp and Daphnia
Newly hatched brine shrimp and small daphnia cultures offer excellent periodic protein boosts full of essential fatty acids and nutrients perfect for developing dwarf crayfish. Rinse well before introducing.

Infusoria
Small infusoria cultures also work nicely across all life stages supplemented with prepared pelleted foods and greens as primary staples according to individual size classes and growth rates monitored.

Conclusion

Providing a thoughtfully prepared omnivore diet comprised of quality sinking prepared foods, meaty treats and fibrous well-rinsed vegetables covers the comprehensive nutritional demands Mexican dwarf crayfish of all ages require to thrive in home aquariums long-term. Pay attention to individual appetites and growth patterns for ideal health.

FAQs About Mexican Dwarf Crayfish Diet

1. How often should you feed Mexican dwarf crayfish?
Offer babies, juveniles and adult dwarf crayfish a few pinches of sinking foods 1-2 times per day depending upon overall appetites monitored. Only feed amounts completely eaten in a few minutes.

2. Do dwarf crayfish eat fish food?
Yes, nutritionally appropriate sinking fish foods like carnivore pellets, algae discs and shrimp pellets make excellent complete Mexican dwarf crayfish diets supplemented with vegetables and occasional meats.

3. What human food can dwarf crayfish eat?
Some safe human foods to offer captive dwarf crayfish include tiny chopped bits of seafood like shrimp or lean chicken, earthworm pieces, silkworms, spinach, carrots and zucchini prepped appropriately to aquatic environments with hardness and metals removed.

4. Can dwarf Mexican crayfish eat fish?
While dwarf crayfish likely will not outright attack healthy fish tankmates, if discovering already dead or significantly weakened fish first they certainly will feast opportunistically. Never intentionally feed fish though as staples.

5. Why won’t my dwarf crayfish eat fruits?
Dwarf crayfish lack the enzymes needed to properly digest sugary fruits adequately. While nibbling small amounts rarely causes issues, fruits cannot comprise appropriate staple foods for these omnivorous crustaceans better served focusing diets on quality proteins, vegetables and commercial feeds instead.

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