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Littoral crabs


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#1 Guest_Flounderfan992_*

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Posted 12 July 2008 - 04:22 PM

I know this is mostly a freshwater forum, but I'm interested in keeping some littoral crabs in a small 25g SW tank. I live in New England and I was planning on gathering them myself since they are everywhere and invasive too. They live in the intertidal so I assume they can tolerate wide temperature flucuations but I'm wondering if I would need a chiller for them?

#2 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 12 July 2008 - 04:41 PM

Do you mean (asian) green crabs? Can you possess them if they are invasives? Not being native vertebrate or invert, or freshwater, I'm not sure how appropriate your question is here or if you will get a good answer.

#3 Guest_fundulus_*

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Posted 12 July 2008 - 05:39 PM

I knew people in Massachusetts who kept green crabs in various types of aquaria, but you can't really keep anything else with them because they're pretty feisty even for crabs. Anything up to normal room temperature is OK with them, as long as they have clean water. As to the legality, I never heard mention of that or checked it out since I wasn't keeping them. They are, of course, an extremely well-established exotic.

#4 Guest_pmk00001_*

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Posted 12 July 2008 - 09:14 PM

I know this is mostly a freshwater forum, but I'm interested in keeping some littoral crabs in a small 25g SW tank. I live in New England and I was planning on gathering them myself since they are everywhere and invasive too. They live in the intertidal so I assume they can tolerate wide temperature flucuations but I'm wondering if I would need a chiller for them?



I've never kept them (except briefly overnight when using them for bait LOL) but they seem be pretty tough critters, I wouldn't worry about a chiller up in Massachusetts.

I think saltwater questions are fine. Green crabs have been on the East Coast for about 200 years, I doubt there's any laws that would prevent you from keeping them in MA, it's not like you could spread them anywhere.

#5 Guest_Flounderfan992_*

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Posted 12 July 2008 - 09:53 PM

Thanks for answering my questions :smile2: , very helpful, answered all my questions!

#6 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 12 July 2008 - 11:19 PM

Green crabs are an invasive which I have seen greatly increase in numbers in my lifetime.
They are not illegal. They are used as bait for tautuag. They are also collected by the bucketful and eaten within the Asian community. I have no idea how they pick the meat from those little crabs.
They can also be collected by the hundreds in short time and frozen in the round. Crack open a leg or claw and drop into your tanks for a change of diet for your fish.
They live for years in captivity and can subsist on flake waste but WILL eventually eat some fish sooner or later. They also get the wunderlust and sometimes go for rambles far from the tank. Small ones frequently come as hitchhikers on rocks and plants from the wild. They can stay hidden for months before you figure out they're there. Usually it's a big shed that finally get's your attention.
Not for small tanks or valuable fish. One or two in a big sump would help with breaking down solid waste. Get a tight fitting cover, especially if you live with someone who is adversely affected by the sight of large crustaceans crawling on the kitchen floor. :rolleyes:

I think the question was very appropriate and a nice change of pace. So far as I know, there isn't a rule against salt water.
Hope it was a good enough answer. :roll:

#7 Guest_ashtonmj_*

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Posted 13 July 2008 - 09:53 AM

While they are used and sold as bait for tuatog there are mid-atlantic states that still prohibit their transfer/transportation from one watershed to another and possession outside of the use of bait. One, such as the post originator, should investigate their states regulations since this is not a bait possession situation.

#8 Guest_Flounderfan992_*

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Posted 13 July 2008 - 11:08 PM

I am planning to keep it by itself in a 25g tank, I think I could seal it up well enough, I suppose two together would probably end up killing eachother?

#9 Guest_mikez_*

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Posted 14 July 2008 - 09:03 AM

While they are used and sold as bait for tuatog there are mid-atlantic states that still prohibit their transfer/transportation from one watershed to another and possession outside of the use of bait. One, such as the post originator, should investigate their states regulations since this is not a bait possession situation.


My post should have read; "They are not illegal in New England". The original poster stated he was in New England.
It would be pointless to ban 'em here at this point. That cow got out of the barn decades ago. They are ubiquitous. It'd be like banning crab grass. There's no habitat where they aren't already established.

FWIW< it sounds like the original poster has a terrarium in mind with shore type habitat. That explains the "littoral" reference which really isn't correct for green crabs.
I don't believe a green crab would use a dry portion of a tank if it had enough clean water to stay submerged. True, they survive being exposed by low tide, but stay hidden in little wet pockets under rocks. You won't see them leave the water to forgage or mate.
A ghost crab makes a perfect canidate for the type of setup I think flounderfan has in mind. Give 'em six or more inches of clean beach sand and keep it wet. They eat anything from flake food to dead fish. Mostly nocturnal but will come out for food. Prettier than green crabs and easier - no need for filter.
You will need to go slightly south to find them.

#10 Guest_Flounderfan992_*

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Posted 01 August 2008 - 12:23 AM

a terrarium is not what I had in mind, full aquatic system. I referred to them as littoral crabs because that is one (granted, of many) common names of the carcinus maenas crab, which does in fact inhabit the littoral zone. Merely because it seeks shelter when the tide goes out doesn't make them any less members of the intertidal zone, that is a very common strategy for intertidal organisms. Although I do understand what you're saying, they aren't as active as ghost crabs above water so if I did have a terrarium in mind, the ghost crab would be a better choice. Thank you anyways for the advice, and I apologize for not having been clearer in my intentions.

#11 Guest_critterguy_*

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Posted 03 September 2008 - 01:08 PM

Has anyone attempted rearing marine crabs in captivity? Someone successfully raised Sesarma bidens(red clawed crab) but they were in brackish water. Took alot of artemia nauplii.




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