Doesn't really fit in a forum??

Rebecca · 12-11-03, 02:42 AM

Anyone ever heard of a watermelon crab?? I found out after 4 hours of searching the web it's a fiddler crab, a subspecies of it actually. So now does anyone know anything about them??

varanuskomodoen · 12-12-03, 11:12 PM

;O

Mr.Lizard · 12-12-03, 11:31 PM

We've got 'em down here in Florida. Fisherman often use them for bait.
If you plan on getting one to keep I'm afraid I don't know much about keeping them.
I did have a small colony of them for awhile which I kept in moist sea sand collected from their habitat upon which grows some sort of algae which makes up at least part of their diet.
They make burrows in the sand and the males have a large claw and a tiny claw. The large one used for courtship and ritual battle.

Hope that helps a little

Rebecca · 12-13-03, 01:15 AM

Any idea what I could feed them?? Like do they eat brine shrimp?? They need salt water too eh??

Mr.Lizard · 12-13-03, 10:33 AM

You may have luck with brine shrimp or other food you might use for feeding salwater fish.
They don't live underwater like most other crabs so I wouldn't keep them in a tank where they can't have a shore which is where they dig their tunnels.
I would think they probably have gills though since their burrows are underwater when the tide comes in.
They're not animals I've ever seen in an aquarium shop so your informational resources may be limited...I'd try searching the net though.

Good Luck --Kevin--

Rebecca · 12-13-03, 01:55 PM

I've tried looking on the net I don't come up with much for how to care for them. I feel bad for the ones in the LPS because if I don't know how to care for them they don't either. It's a well known fact that the people running that place don't know anything. Although they do listen to me when I say they are doing something wrong. Thanks for the help.