12 Popular Types of Pet Crabs

 

Content

• 1. Rainbow Land Crab.
• 2. Vampire Crab.
• 3. Halloween Moon Crab.
• 4. Fiddler crabs.
• 5. Land hermit crabs.
• 6. Red claw crabs.
• 7. Panther shrimp.
• 8. Thai Micro Shrimp.
• 9. Pom Pom Crab.
• 10. Thai devil crab.
• 11. Metano crab.
• 12. Gold claw crab.
• How to choose a pet shrimp
• Will your crabs join an existing tank or live alone?
• How many crabs do you want?
• Can you provide the right accommodation?
• What types are available?
• Caring for your pet crab
• Housing
• Abstinence
• Keeping your shrimp healthy.
• Result

Whether you're a longtime aquarium keeper or just starting out, adding pet shrimp to your tank environment can be an interesting alternative to consider instead of adding more fish. Pet crabs come in a wide variety of colors and sizes. They can be quite entertaining to watch as they climb, scavenge and mess around.

You may be worried that caring for pet crabs is too complicated, but don't worry! Caring for many types of pet crabs is not as difficult as other types of aquariums. Ready to consider adding a pet crab to life your? Here are popular 12 types of pet crabs for you.

1. Rainbow Land Crab.

Rainbow Land Crabs come in a colors wide variety making them an eye-catching addition to  pet family your! As their name suggests, these crabs need both land and water in their tank to live happily. They also like to keep in pairs. You can find rainbow land crabs in orange purple, cream or blue or colors.

2. Vampire Crab.

Vampire crabs are freshwater crabs named for their bright, yellow eyes. Their appearance unique makes them very popular as pets. These crabs come in bright colors, usually purple, orange, or red. Vampire crabs are sometimes hard to find in the pet market because they are a recently discovered crab species.

3. Halloween Moon Crab

These crabs are decorated in all the colors of Halloween! Also called the Halloween hermit crab, the Halloween moon crab has orange legs, a black shell, and purple markings on its claws. Their colors may be inspired by a scary holiday, but these crabs are really scary to each other. Although they are social creatures, Halloween Moon Crabs should only be allowed short play dates, as too long a conversation can turn into a non-play fight, often with dire consequences.

4. Fiddler crabs

Male fiddler crabs, with their recognizable large claws, are a familiar sight to regular beachgoers. There are actually about 100 different species of fiddler crabs, all similar in appearance. Males are very territorial so you should plan on keeping only one male per tank, but several female companions are fine. Fiddlers do not like to be alone, so you should plan to keep at least two. Fiddler crabs live in saltwater rather than freshwater, which means you will need to add salt to the water in their habitat.

5. Land hermit crabs

Hermit crabs are another species of domesticated crab. These crabs can be a little difficult to keep as pets because they have many habitat requirements that can be difficult to provide in a tank setting. Despite their name, hermit crabs actually like to live in groups, so if you want to keep land hermit crabs as pets you'll need to plan on keeping more than one.

6. Red claw crabs

Red claw crabs, because of their bright red claws, are a popular and easy-to-find type of pet crab. Crabs are also easy to care for while on the go, which adds to their appeal. One thing to keep in mind when considering keeping red claw crabs is that they are known to be talented escape artists due to their climbing ability. You will need to take extra care to keep their tank safe.

7. Panther shrimp

Panther crabs are popular pet crabs because of their striking appearance, a yellow or orange body covered with black spots. These crabs are larger than some other pet crab species, often reaching 3 inches long. Panther crabs, perhaps taking their wild cat names a bit too much to heart, are often aggressive towards other tank inhabitants. If they are not fed in time, panther crabs have been known to snack on other crabs or fish that live with them. Male panther crabs will also fight each other, so be sure to choose a female mate for your male panther crab.

8. Thai Micro Shrimp

Thai micro shrimps, as their name suggests, are extremely small, shy shrimps. They are usually only half an inch long! Because they are so small and delicate, be very careful when deciding on tank mates for these crabs. They should only live with other highly motivated species that won't decide to make a snack of these micro crabs.

9. Pom Pom Crab

Pom-pom crabs get their name because wild ones swim with anemones held in their claws, making them look like they're holding pom-poms. Instead of cheering on the local sports team, the Pom Pom Cubs use anemones to defend themselves, boxing the stinging creatures in the direction of enemies. In captivity, these small crabs are easy to care for, although they can be difficult to find because they have only recently begun to be sold as pets.

10. Thai devil crab

Despite their name, Thai devil crabs are actually the most sociable of the pet crab species and get along with a variety of calm tank mates. These crabs can grow up to 4 inches long and live up to 15 years, although 5 years is their average lifespan in captivity. Thai devil crabs can be found in different many colors, including red and purple.

11. Metano crab

Mitano crabs have a unique appearance, with a combination of purple with white on the joints of their legs. These crabs are happy to spend all their time underwater, which means you don't need to provide a land area for them in your tank. However, metano crabs have specific water temperature and pH requirements, which must be kept in mind when deciding whether to keep them as pets.

12. Gold claw crab

These crabs are prized for their large, gold-colored claws. Golden claw crabs will happily scurry around the bottom of the aquarium. They also enjoy jumping in the sand, so you'll want to make sure they have a sandy bottom in their tank. Like their red claw counterparts, gold claw crabs are particularly adept at avoiding tanks.

How to choose a pet shrimp

With so many cool and different types of pet crabs, how do you decide which one to get? There are a few questions you may want to consider when choosing the perfect pet crab.

Will your crabs join an existing tank or live alone?

If you're looking for a pet shrimp to add to an already bustling tank environment, you'll want to choose a variety that gets along with your existing aquatic pets. Make sure that the fish and other creatures in your tank will not want to eat your new crab. Choose a pet crab that is not territorial and is willing to accept tank mates.

How big is your tank? Some pet crabs, such as rainbow land crabs, are larger than others and require more space. Others are so territorial that they need a large space to avoid fighting.

Most of the crabs on this list are freshwater crabs, so if you have a saltwater tank this will limit your choices considerably.

How many crabs do you want?

Many of the pet crabs we've discussed aren't as happy living as solo crabs. Others are so territorial that it is important that they do! Some, like land hermit crabs, prefer to live in groups rather than pairs. Consider how many crabs you have room for and are willing to care for when deciding what type of pet crab to get.

Can you provide the right accommodation?

Each type of pet crab has different housing requirements. Some are happy to spend full time in the water while others need a land area to take some time off from the swimming life. Some, like vampire crabs, like to live with lots of aquatic plants. All crabs will take every opportunity to escape so whatever type you choose, be prepared to always keep your tank safe.

What types are available?

In the end, your choice of pet shrimp may depend on what types are readily available to you. Some of the pet crabs we discussed, such as vampire and pom pom crabs, are hard to find. In contrast, varieties such as fiddler and red claw crabs can be much easier to purchase from a variety of sources.

Caring for your pet crab

As we have already discussed, each type of pet shrimp has its own set of specific requirements for proper care. Before you bring your new crab home, make sure you do your research and determine the right habitat and diet for your pet. Here are some general guidelines for caring for and feeding pet crabs.

Housing

The size of the tank required depends on the size of your pet crab and how many you bring home. The tank size minimum you should use is a 5 gallon tank. Make sure you secure all possible escape routes, including piping and the roof of your tank.

If your pet shrimp needs both a water area and land, you'll need to make room in your tank to get out of the water. One way to do this is to add sand enough to one side of your tank to create a beach for crabs your.

Check to see what temperature, humidity and water pH your new shrimp needs. If your new shrimp needs to live in saltwater or brackish water, you'll need to learn how to add the right amount of salt to keep them healthy.

A tank thermometer can help you keep your shrimp's water temperature accurate. Other things you may want to add to your shrimp tank are plants, rocks, sticks, or other items that will make their captivity as wild as possible.

Abstinence

Crabs are omnivores that will need both plant and animal foods in their diet. To keep your shrimp healthy, it's a good idea to feed a variety of different foods. Here are some good food choices to offer your pet shrimp:

Commercial shrimp meal.

• Bloodworms.
• Cooked vegetables.
• Small, salty fish.
• Bees

Make sure you feed your crabs regularly, as some species will try to eat their tankmates when hungry. However, you don't want to overfeed your crabs because you'll need to remove any undigested food. Start with a small portion and give them more if they are hungry.

Keeping your shrimp healthy

An important part of keeping your shrimp healthy is making sure you keep them in the right environment and feed them the right food. Another important consideration is to make sure they have tank mates who won't try to eat them! A good way to make sure is to ask the breeder or pet store where you get your crabs so you can choose the right tank mates for them.

Keep your shrimp tank clean by changing the water regularly. Whenever the water seems dirty or smelly, it's time for a change. Make sure you only use filtered water for your shrimp tank as chemicals like chlorine are not safe for them. You should also change their sand and make sure other items in the tank are clean as well.

Here are some signs you should look for to tell you that your crabs are sick or unhealthy:

• Too much food or not enough.
• Color fading or discoloration.
• Decreased movement or activity level.
• Lack of coordination.
• If you are concerned that your crab is not doing well, seek professional help from a veterinarian.

Result

Pet shrimp can make a delightful addition to your aquarium as long as you provide the right conditions for them. With so many different types of pet shrimp, you're sure to find just the right one. Just make sure you stay one step ahead of these cunning climbers and block all their escape routes!

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