Crabs are not only a delicious dish in a restaurant. Today, a new and rapidly gaining momentum has become the equipment of aquariums with sea water. Consequently, crabs have become favorite pets. Interesting and smart enough, with a peculiar behavior, they attract the attention of lovers of the underwater world. By the way, there are a great many crabs, and there are freshwater individuals that can be hooked into a very ordinary aquarium. However, today we’ll talk about what crabs eat.
Aquarium equipment and crab breeding
Of technical equipment, you need a filter and an aerator, as well as a set of lamps. It is advisable to immediately choose a large aquarium so that each individual has at least 0.3 square meters, because these amazing creatures love to travel. Small fish, such as guppies, can be populated in the water. But the larger fish, the crabs will catch and eat. In captivity, crabs grow up to 10 cm and live 5-7 years.
It is difficult to propagate them; they need special conditions and sea water. They have a planktonic larval stage, so you can hardly expect that you will admire the small crabs. However, mating behavior in the aquarium is observed quite often. This is not surprising, since almost all types behave when conditions of detention are close to ideal.
On land and at sea
This is an important point, so we will dwell on it a little. What crabs eat must necessarily be on land, as these funny creatures feed mainly on the shore, although they seek food and underwater. Therefore, they need a special aquarium, which has an underwater zone and a beach, at least a third of the total area. About the same terrarium is needed for newts and turtles. The water layer can be shallow, not more than 15 cm. The coastal zone should be clearly distinguished by a high, large stone, in this case part of the soil will seep between the cracks and create a beautiful descent into the water.
It must be remembered that crabs not only feed on the shore, but also dig their holes. If this is not taken into account, your whole composition will be damaged. Therefore, on the shore they dig a clay pipe with a diameter larger than the crab itself. So that the water does not stagnate, it must be through. The crab will constantly engage in deepening this hole, dragging the soil into the water, and then you can again organize a collapse.
Home content
On the one hand, this is still exotic, and there are practically no specialists in the field of crab science. On the other hand, they keep at home frogs and newts, turtles and other creatures that once seemed completely unsuitable for an aquarium. And they also get along peacefully with the fish.
Speaking about what crabs eat, it is worth remembering that in nature these creatures are completely omnivorous. They will enjoy breakfast with insects, cubs of other crabs, berries or algae. Almost everything that they come across in the way, they will definitely check for edibility.
Fancy Pet Supplies
What crabs eat can be listed indefinitely, because they do not refuse almost any food. It is best to immediately install an evening feeding system, as crabs feed at night. Although if you consider that they are big lovers of falling, then nothing bad will happen if the food lies in the aquarium in the morning. Keeping on land and "at sea" avoids the problem that is most relevant for beginner aquarists. This is the decay of food in water, which is why it quickly deteriorates and is inhabited by harmful microorganisms. In the case of these funny animals, you can leave the goodies on the sandy shore. In the evening a very interesting picture unfolds here, the crabs ’meal is the whole show that you need to see.
The main diet of the rainbow crab
What crabs eat at home, you can easily find in your refrigerator. The main diet is salad, so in the winter time plant several bunches at home. These animals are not too voracious, so you will have enough of this amount until spring. This plant is most useful, since it is closest in composition to the one that crab eats in its African homeland. If there is no salad, then you can help out bell peppers or carrots, an apple. Moreover, any of these products can lie in the sand until it dries.
In principle, to organize an optimal diet, it is enough to ask what crabs eat in the sea. The main diet of rainbow handsome men is a special algae, which was mentioned above. However, they feed on carrion, fish and shellfish, so that they will not refuse protein food in the aquarium. The usual fish food (live or dried) is perfect for feeding arthropods.
Black Sea swimming crab
Let's now pay attention to our fellow countryman. He lives in large numbers on the Black Sea coast. Many vacationers decide to grab one or the other with them. If you can bring your pets home alive, you can settle them in your aquarium. What do Black Sea crabs eat? In principle, everything is the same as crayfish. They will be happy to eat up bloodworms, any live food, chopped meat, that is, everything that falls to the bottom of the aquarium.
However, keeping a sea crab at home is very difficult, because it needs special conditions. Therefore, it is better to buy a freshwater, adapted crab in a pet store. You will also be offered specialized food for these arthropods.
How often can a crab be fed?
The most important rule here is not to overfeed. In principle, we have already listed what sea crabs eat at home. Any fruits and vegetables, berries, meat and specialized feed. The most important thing is not to overfeed the pet. Daily feeding is the biggest evil for an arthropod. You need to give food three times in ten days. That is, once every three days.
At the same time, protein products can be included in the diet of the crab no more than once a week. The quantity for one individual is about a large pea. You can change products from time to time, it can be a shrimp or a piece of raw meat, a little fish. On major holidays (literally stick to the calendar so as not to get confused), you can give mussels and oysters.
Be sure to give your pet mineral supplements. This can be crushed eggshell or chalk for parrots. It should always lie on land. It is worth adding a little sea salt to the water, which is bought at a pet store. You will have to add by eye, so less is better than more. This is important in order to maintain the integrity of the shell. Do not use sea bath salt, it has a lot of dyes and flavors.
Will the crab stay hungry?
As for this, anxiety is unnecessary, your pet will definitely not starve. In nature, they can do without food for several months, and a week without food will not cause him any discomfort. It is overfeeding that causes various health problems for your pet. The crab begins frequent and problematic molting, which is a great stress for his body.
Shedding is a normal physiological process, but in the aquarium, the crab suffers from a lack of movement. In nature, he can walk up to 3 km per day. As a result, being in conditions of constant growth and lack of movement, he does not have time to go through a recovery cycle and preparation for a new molt. And this will lead to loss of limbs and death.
Goodies
We have already said that the crabs ’meal is the most fascinating sight. The owners of these amazing creatures will be happy to tell how the crab eats sweet cherries. Yes, they really like sweet berries. Like a little gourmet, the crab gradually tears piece by piece, fingering it. At the same time, he eats very culturally, folding small pieces in his mouth. It is a pleasure to watch the crab eat cherries, cherries or apricots. Vitamins are useful for everyone, so from time to time, be sure to give berries to a small pet.