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Does anyone know anything about the crabs that Petsmart and some other places are stocking. They don't seem to know anything about them, but I do know that they keep them in freshwater and they look like a fiddler crab.

In my experience the crabs at Petmart are fiddler crabs. Petsmart sells them as aquatic crabs, but they will eventually die if they cannot get out of the water.

I don't know anything about Petsmart... But I do know that my lfs stock some crabs as well - blue crabs, brown, etc. Although quite striking in their tanks - there is a cautionary statement regarding the fact that they will nip and even kill some fish.... Once I read that, I went no further! My current set up is for peaceful fish -- and as I love the babies which survive, I wouldn't want to take the chance on ANYTHING that would harm them! So if you're interested in acquiring any type of crab for aquarium purposes, I would definitely research on the compatability with what types of fish! ... I realize that this isn't very "factual" --- but then again, what I did learn was enough for me to decide against it....

To thine own self be true...

Most crabs sold in LFS's are either Fiddles, or Red crabs. These can climb very well, so the tank should be covered with care. Also as mentioned above, they do need a land area so they can climb out and do their thing, or else they will die. They'll feed on slow, usually sick fish. I've seen some snag fish sleeping on the bottom too, but it's pretty rare.

Additionally, nearly all "freshwater" crabs offered in the hobby need brackish water for long-term survival.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

Theres lots of red freshwater crabs in the hobby at the moment, and while its by no means impossible to keep them , they do a good line in attacking vulnerable fish, plants , and each other. Not for everyone, and not for most community tanks.

If you get one, make sure it has its space and remember that they, like most inverts, are escape artists! When I was a teen I kept mine in a 20g community tank and it did fine, but it kept climbing out and hiding in our toilet. Very Creepy!

Inky

I have mine in a 20 in a paludarium setup. No fish in there at all, but I might add something later.

If a Moon Crab is raised as a youth in freshwater then it needs freshwater. It looks like a Red Crab exept one claw is bigger than the other. They are from a lake not sea in Africa. I find so little info about crabs from books or the net it is nuts.

They can climb up the heater cord to get air, not that I would put them in a tank with no island.

Hey fishy. I added 3 plain guppies to my moon crab tank. They had babies and now there are like 10. I have seen the crab reach for one once, but there is no way he will ever catch them I say.