Fiddler crab ?s

gemini9 · Oct 7, 2014

When I bought my 2 clowns, I walked out of the LFS with a a red fiddler crab. Just a little guy. He's been hiding under a rock ever since saturday. Not sure if this is normal behavior? He doesn't seem too happy and he's pretty boring. I'm considering taking him back if they'll accept him. He won't come out to eat anything he just sits under the rock half buried in the sand. I've got Marine Flakes which I know he won't eat, but I've also got shrimp pellets and he won't touch them. What's the deal here? I'm not sure how to care for him.

While I'm on the topic of crabs, I have an emerald and some hermits in there too. Should I be adding iodine to my tank or anything?

kireek · Oct 7, 2014

It is unfortunate the LFS failed to explain the care requirements of your purchase.Did you add him to your salt water display? Fiddlers crab need to be able to climb out of the water.They also need access to fresh and saltwater.You should ask the LFS what the animal has been eating.

gemini9 · Oct 7, 2014

They had a saltwater tank with the crabs in. No access to land or anything. They were in just a regular saltwater display. Honestly, I wasn't even sure I wanted to buy the thing. I was looking at the crabs they had in their tank and was asking about them. "How big do they get? Are they aggressive?" and without even asking if I wanted one, he dipped a few out and asked how many I wanted. I figured what the hey, I'll buy one.

kireek · Oct 14, 2014

How is your little guy?

Squishie89 · Oct 14, 2014

When I had a fiddler it took him a few days to settle into the tank. I am sure he would love some mysis or even chunks of clam. And no you do not need to dose iodine for yours crabs.

Alwaysinshorts · Oct 14, 2014

Are you sure it was a fiddler crab and not s a strawberry crab? If it is a strawberry crab you will probably never see him. I have had many over the years and they are almost always hidden except when I get a flashlight and go searching at night.

gemini9 · Oct 14, 2014

I ended up taking the crab back. When I put him in the tank, he burrowed under a rock and I didn't see him all week. He wouldn't come out to eat or anything. I exchanged him for store credit towards a cheap Condy anemone.

lionfish5740 · Oct 26, 2014

Agree with above about fiddlers needing to get out of the water periodically.
I used to have a leopard eel a very long time ago. The eel only ever went after crustaceans so I would go catch crabs at a nearby saltwater river. I thought they were all fiddlers and would die if not caught. Indeed some that avoided the eel didn't make it too long and I'd scoop them out if not eaten. But there ended up being one that grew into a hidden monster and it raised hell before I found it! Clearly it was another species but looked just like the fiddlers when I caught it. Had to take my tank apart to get it out and back to the river :/

Reef_Obsessed · Oct 27, 2014

I've had a few of those fiddlers in a freshwater tank when I was younger....I loved them, but hated spending my time chasing them around the room when they escaped