[TheCheeseWizz]

A while ago I got some crabs but I just recently moved them to the big tank downstairs yesterday. When I got home my sister told me that she saw one run across the floor so she caught it and put it back into the tank. Now we cant find the second one. There is no way he can get back into the tank by himself, so if we dont find him soon he will die.

Has this ever happened to anybody else?

 

[kardon]

Crabs are notorious escape artists, no doubt. While you're thinking they're just sitting there innocently picking at pieces of gravel, they're actually laying down plans of complex strategy, and when they see you leave the room, or when the lights go out, they call their plan into operation.

Before you go turning everything upside down, check your filter. They sometimes take residence in that prime piece of real estate, catching tidbits of food and algae as they get stuck in the cartridge. Check in the dark corners, even near the impeller and the intake tube. If he is not locatable, then go turn everything in your house upside down.





EDITED FOR SPELLING... IT's A PET PEEVE

 

[TheCheeseWizz]

You were right he was in the filter. I moved him back to the small inescapable tank.

 

[kardon]

Good deal.

 

[roc-aquarium]

When I first saw the title to your post, my response was going to be "Get Some Quell!"

When I was a kid we used to catch Blue Claw Crabs in the Great South Bay off of Long Island. One summer we caught a bunch and threw them in the freezer to keep them fresh. After a few months my mom figured they were no good anymore so she tossed them in the trash.

She got quite a surprise when the crabs were walking across our garden a few hours later.

Crabs are resilent, smart and interesting. Good luck!

 

[Nature neil]

I have had all kinds of crabs from the little red clawed to large rainbow crabs, and one thing is inevitable they will escape eventually. If you notice an escaped crab then placing a damp sponge on a plate in the corner of the room with a box or similar over the top with a hole cut in it so the crabs can get in. always works to attract them as they will sence the moisture and hide there during the day but remember. Almost every species of crab including the little red claws need and love to leave the water so providing them with a bit of wood to climb out on often reduces their escape attempts.
For more see my blog Bombina

 

[jshank]

Okay, I am new to this but how does a crab get out of a tank if you have a lid on it? Do you have to have plants that go out of the tank or something or how do they get out?? They can't climb up the glass can they?? Everyone sounds like it happens eventually but I guess I just can't picture it.

I did get a laugh out of kardon's description on how they are thinking up a complex strategy on how to get out of the tank.

 

[fishfinder]

I've seen them climb up the silicon seal, as well as decorations and airline tubing. Most tanks aren't completely covered. There are holes for the thermostate, filter, airline tubing, cords, etc. Crabs can make themselves pretty skinny.

 

[jshank]

That's crazy! For most crabs do you have to have stuff floating or above water for them to get up on sometimes or can they just be in a normal tank? What kinds do most people get that stay pretty small?

 

[fishfinder]

It depends on whether it is a freshwater crab, land or sea crab what type of decor and water requirements you would have. I've kept hermit (tree) crabs and local saltwater crabs. Crabs live in or near the water. Usually there is a small space above the water line in between the lighting or cover which suits the primarily water dwelling species. Crabs have gills similar to fish so can extract oxygen from the water and as long as they can keep their gills wet, they can get oxygen from the air as well. I'll let someone else list the species.

 

[jshank]

Well I have a freshwater tank. I don't know if I would get a crab but for future reference I would want something that I wouldn't have to build up land for part of it. If there are any that I could just put in the tank that would be great if not that's fine too. I just don't want to get one and not have it in its optimal living conditions.

 

[TheCheeseWizz]

Dont worry, if they want to get out they will.