# Found a crab in my newly bought freshwater plants!! HELP!!



## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

What do I do??> He's really tiny... I don't know how he got in there. I tried a new fish store and he must have been hiding within the plants.

Helpppp!!

He's really cute. For now I have put him in a jam jar because I have no idea how to care for something like this... lol

From doing research with my friend we've gathered that he is a Thai Micro Crab.... Umm... I only have one tank right now and my betta is in it... I am afraid he's gonna eat him.

What should I do??


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## xShainax (Feb 11, 2012)

This is what I found on them

http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/Limnopilos_naiyanetri


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

Thanks!

I am keeping the jar water parameters the same as my betta's.

He ate some krill this morning so he seems to be in good health. I am wondering if I should just put him in the aquarium with Jackson, but keep him in a breeding box to avoid him from getting eaten?

Here's a picture from last night


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## Agent13 (Apr 23, 2013)

Aww! I wish I had stray crabs come in on my plants . Hmm.. A breeder box might work but it also may try to escape into the tank . Maybe densely plant a corner of the tank then risk it and release him into the plants . ? 

Very very cute 


Sent from Petguide.com App


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## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

Oh, he's a cutie!


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

what a fun find!


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

Agent13 said:


> Aww! I wish I had stray crabs come in on my plants . Hmm.. A breeder box might work but it also may try to escape into the tank . Maybe densely plant a corner of the tank then risk it and release him into the plants . ?
> 
> Very very cute
> 
> ...


Yeah right now he's still in the mason jar because the Walmart I went to for some reason did not have breeding tanks -__- I am having trouble finding it which is soooo weird. I was thinking of just turning a glass tupperware bottom upside down and putting him in there and then letting Jackson see him after his water change to see if he will think he is food lol. Now that the tank is heavily planted I don't think it's as risky.



Kithy said:


> Oh, he's a cutie!


He is! It's very entertaining watching him eat and crawl around on the moss ball.



InStitches said:


> what a fun find!


It is but very unexpected lol! I have been saying I wanted some inverts for a while but I wasn't actually READY lol >_< Everything I've read says that because they're so small they only do okay in tanks with similar sized animals like cherry shrimp :/ Hopefully he doesn't die.


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

Well I'm trying to introduce them today. I made a makeshift isolation container using a glass tupperware.

Jackson seems interested so I am going to give it a few more hours. I'm going to take Jackson out after that and then let the crab go and find a hiding spot.

I hope this works well :/ Really don't want this little guy getting killed or eaten


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## Fox88 (May 30, 2014)

You can keep your crab and betta together because bettas usually feed on things on the surface and crabs are bottom dwellers. however you must be aware that if it is small enough to fit inside your fish mouth it can become a potencial meal. As for food, you should not worry, because crabs are usually scravengers and oportunists feeders that are not picky at all, it can just eat any lefovers from your betta meals. Crabs can be affected by water with low pH, because it makes hard for them to calcify their exoskeleton.

Another warning: anything with pincers is a potencial fin-nipper, specially if your crab grows big enough. Crabs are also known to catch and eat small fish (small enough to fit its pincers), specially at night.


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## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

Question
With snails you can use a cuttlefish bone, like for birds, to get some calcium. Is that an option with a crab?


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## BlueLacee (Dec 8, 2013)

He is cute. Good luck


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## brian the betta lover (Jun 16, 2014)

how big is the tank


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## jeaninel (Aug 24, 2007)

Get him a little cave or a couple larger rocks placed sothat he has a little crevice to hide in. Crabs can be escape artists so be sure any openings in your tank hood are covered. They will climb up the heater cord or plants and escape. That's how I lost one of my crabs. Found him dried up on the floor. :/
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Kithy (Nov 21, 2012)

jeaninel said:


> Get him a little cave or a couple larger rocks placed sothat he has a little crevice to hide in. Crabs can be escape artists so be sure any openings in your tank hood are covered. They will climb up the heater cord or plants and escape. That's how I lost one of my crabs. Found him dried up on the floor. :/
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Duct tape is literally a life saver. Doesn't really come off.


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

Well just an update -- he is nowhere to be found! I have no idea where he went  He has plenty of hiding places in my tank.

The other day I found what seemed to be an exoskeleton that he might have shed... or he could have died lol.

These guys are notorious for being incredibly shy... I don't know where he's gone *sigh*


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

UPDATE:

I redid my 10 gal. today AND I FOUND HITCH!!!

I moved him to the 1.5 gal. I was originally setting up for some shrimp. He should def be coming out more often now that there's no betta in there with him


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## InStitches (May 26, 2014)

yay! Cute little dude


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## BlueLacee (Dec 8, 2013)

He's super cute and makes me want one


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## taquitos (Jun 27, 2013)

Yeah they're not as shy as other sources on the internet suggest! I would totally get more of these guys in a heartbeat if I could find a seller in Canada!

Here he is today, trying to reach for a piece of blanched lettuce lol!









And this is where he is housed at the moment:









It's pretty bare, but I plan on carpeting the entire ground with some fun moss.

I still need to invest in a sponge filter for the little tank, so hopefully that will be sometime soon


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