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I just bought my first fiddler crabs, and I love them. They are so much fun to watch. I've made sure they can't escape my tank as of now, and I'm not to worried with their obsessive climbing behavior.

The male is extremely active and runs all around the tank and climbs the plants and stuff. He's all over the place. However, the female has not been doing anything. Every once in a while, I'll look in the tank and she'll be moving on the bottom eating, but for the most part she's been hiding under the plant on the gravel. Now last night, I noticed that she's even been burrowing into the gravel under the plant to the point where she is almost completely under the gravel. Is this normal? Is she just shy, or is she doing something else that I don't realize? They seem to both be healthy, but she's been hiding, and it makes me wonder why. Thanks for the input.

I have three males and they all seem to have different personalities, maybe that's the case with your female?

So far I haven't found much info online about them, but here are a few links you might want to check:

[link=http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/~steven/fcfaq.html]http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/~steven/fcfaq.html" style="COLOR: #CC9966[/link]

[link=http://www.fiddlercrab.info/]http://www.fiddlercrab.info/" style="COLOR: #CC9966[/link]

[link=http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/misc_critters/crabs.htm#top2]http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/misc_critters/crabs.htm#top2" style="COLOR: #CC9966[/link]

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

it is normal behavior, regardless of the gender. wait a week or so- you should see your shy crab alot more comfortable in its habitat.

keep in mind true fiddlers need access to air, and most people swear they need brackish water to thrive long term.

good luck.

Thanks for the replies. My female seemed a little bit more adventuresome today but still hid an awful lot. I'm sure she'll lighten up eventually. It got me thinking though. The female was hiding and stuff, and I doubt she laid eggs or anything, but is it possible to breed crabs in aquariums? If so, how do the crabs go about this? Do they protect their young, or are they more likely to eat them? Thanks again.