Feeding The Crabz

[wsboyette]

Once again, I failed to read before purchasing - and so added a small Sally Lightfoot crab to my 45 gallon FOWLR. Afterward I read that some aquarists have had problems with these crabs attacking fish, and some have not. I can only conclude that the ones that did have problems must have failed to provide sufficient food for their crabs, forcing them to go after fish. I have a couple of small hermit crabs as well, which I don't think pose as much risk to my fish. I am afraid of trashing the tank with excess food and thus driving up nitrates. Specifically, what is the best technique for getting food to my crabs and ensuring that they are well fed ? Can I just throw excess fish food in there and expect them to find it before it decomposes ? I believe that these crabs are omnivores (am I correct ?), but what is the best thing to feed them ?

 

[marcah]

I personally never had a problem with a lightfoot crab.. I never did anything to keep them happy they ate anything I threw into the tank.. I had small fish in with them and they never seemed to look twice at them... I had them for years in the tanks..

 

[wsboyette]

I personally never had a problem with a lightfoot crab.. I never did anything to keep them happy they ate anything I threw into the tank.. I had small fish in with them and they never seemed to look twice at them... I had them for years in the tanks..

Would simply throwing in extra fish food suffice, then ? I use the frozen Ocean Nutrition Formula Two food. That Lightfoot is very shy, it skedaddles into the rocks like a scalded wolf-spider the moment I approach my tank....

 

[little_fish]

The fish most at risk are small, perching fish. The attacks are also more likely to happen when the crab is larger. You can also just hand them a piece of food, they will figure out its dinner time quick enough.

 

[wsboyette]

The fish most at risk are small, perching fish. The attacks are also more likely to happen when the crab is larger. You can also just hand them a piece of food, they will figure out its dinner time quick enough.

I don't know about handing this crab anything, it skedaddles into the rocks like a scalded wolf-spider the moment I approach the tank !

 

[little_fish]

it will figure it out, they are smarter than they look :)