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	Need Help Feeding Local Crabs
desiredusername Enthusiast Posts: 182 Kudos: 99 Votes: 36 Registered: 26-Sep-2006	I found the crabs on a river bank in sydney. There are 4; 1 bright orange, 1 black, 1 green red claws, 1 orange/black. All are smaller than 7cm. I tried to feed them "crab chow" from a pet store, but little was eaten. What can i feed these crabs???
Posted 03-Nov-2006 08:29
illustrae Fish Addict Posts: 820 Kudos: 876 Registered: 04-May-2005	if they get hungry enough, they may eat more of the store-bought food, bus since these are wild crabs, they are probably used to scavenging dead fish. You might try some frozen silversides. What kind of enclosure do you have them in? Do they have access to land as well as water? Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...
Posted 03-Nov-2006 17:03
desiredusername Enthusiast Posts: 182 Kudos: 99 Votes: 36 Registered: 26-Sep-2006	the crabs are living in a small corner tank I have. they do have access to land inc. rocks. Any alternatives as i have never seen a fish called a silverside
Posted 04-Nov-2006 04:49
Kunzman96 Hobbyist Posts: 144 Kudos: 91 Votes: 115 Registered: 29-Oct-2006	Find a local bait shop for fisherman. They should have something fresh you can use. If you are close to the coast they should not be hard to find. "Talk is cheap. Action can be almost as affordable"
Posted 04-Nov-2006 22:08
desiredusername Enthusiast Posts: 182 Kudos: 99 Votes: 36 Registered: 26-Sep-2006	I went to the bait shop and bought some small squid. They went for it straight away. How can i stop them being afraid of me? whenever i come near they scurry under a rock.
Posted 05-Nov-2006 10:33
Kunzman96 Hobbyist Posts: 144 Kudos: 91 Votes: 115 Registered: 29-Oct-2006	It is only natural for them to be afraid, though they may get used to you. I dont know if I would want to get too friendly with a crab. OUCH! I would probably start doing some research on what kind of critters you have there. The local petshops or fishermen would probably be the best place to start. I live on the west coast here in the states and we have a multitude of different kinds of crabs. Good luck! "Talk is cheap. Action can be almost as affordable"
Posted 05-Nov-2006 23:57
desiredusername Enthusiast Posts: 182 Kudos: 99 Votes: 36 Registered: 26-Sep-2006	After 2 weeks the tank smelt terrible and the sand all had a black layer of stuff on it. The water was black and 1 crab had already died. I took the surviving crabs back to the water and released them. Will goldfsh eat the chopped squid i have left over???
Posted 09-Nov-2006 04:31
illustrae Fish Addict Posts: 820 Kudos: 876 Registered: 04-May-2005	Crabs are very messy eaters, so it isn't unusual for their habitats to become polluted very quickly, and being sandy and brackish, I personally think maitenance is a little more difficult than regular tank maitenance. I'm sorry you lost one, but I'm glad you returned the rest to the wild. Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...
Posted 09-Nov-2006 18:01
Kunzman96 Hobbyist Posts: 144 Kudos: 91 Votes: 115 Registered: 29-Oct-2006	Sorry you lost one. That was probably the best thing to do by releasing them. Your heart was in the right place by taking them in, but sometimes wild caught animals act alot differently than what you may find in a pet store. Personally, I would stick to the crabs at your local LFS. Also most good stores are going to have books and literature on basic care of the pet you buy so you will have fewer problems. I wish you luck! "Talk is cheap. Action can be almost as affordable"
Posted 09-Nov-2006 19:53
Callatya Moderator The girl's got crabs! Posts: 9662 Kudos: 5261 Registered: 16-Sep-2001	Where abouts did you find these? I can't think of anywhere in sydney that'd have so many varieties of crab in freshwater. For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett
Posted 20-Nov-2006 04:31
desiredusername Enthusiast Posts: 182 Kudos: 99 Votes: 36 Registered: 26-Sep-2006	Edited by desiredusername Callatya, I live on the Georges river, fairly close to the coast
Posted 20-Nov-2006 08:58


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