# Dynamite crabs! pics included! help!



## lolly (Apr 2, 2008)

right i posted a thread a while ago regarding our new crabs, 
they were sold to us as dynamite crabs, 
but we want to know how big they can get and whats the BEST conditions for them regarding water parimeters etc etc!
currently they are housed in a 400litre fish tank (i think??) it is one of our main tanks, brackish watered, has plenty of bog wood for climbing, and hidey holes. more than enough space to each have their own area. they can climb out of the water and there is a massive area for the whole legnth of the tank on top where they can sit out of the water, and we have put mini "homes" up there with water current pushed through so they can be sheltered from the light and stay out of the main body of water if they wish too!
its a good system that worked well with our rainbow crab but now we have changed it all rouond and re vamped the tank to fit more around our new fish and the crabs.

So here are some pictures for ID 
if they are dynamite crabs? or what exactly are they and is there anyone with any experience with them? 

here is our old rainbow crab who died of old age  









and here are the new crabs
trixster, mr muscles, legs11 and citizen snips


















































any help!

oh and yes i have tried google... it gives me this!


Charley's Crab Menu - Miami/So. Florida Restaurants - Zagat Survey
^^ look at appetisers!
and


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## lolly (Apr 2, 2008)

sorry about the picture quality :S
taken on a phone


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## Krocodyle (Mar 14, 2010)

How big are they? I've been trying to find some other types of crab for Ages, they look kind of like Red Crabs but the texture of there shell and overall size seems different tho this could be due to the pictures  

I've tryed searching everywere and all i ever get is Red Claw Crabs, Golden Fiddler Crabs, Rainbow Crabs, or some Recipes for eating them >.> 
Recently stumbled over Leopard Crabs but struggling to find a Retailer for them.

Can i ask where you got them from?


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## Krocodyle (Mar 14, 2010)

Acctualy on retrospect i've just been looking over some Pictures and im almost 100% sure they are Red claw Crabs, Red Crabs, Red Mangrove Crabs [All the same thing] 

How to keep your new red claw crabs, sesarma bidens, with pictures Is one of the guides i used most.

Im Attempting to Rear some babys Atm  

They need Access to the Water surface, Brackish Water is preferable However mine have lived fine in Fresh water, They grow to Approx 2 inches however mine have Exceeded 4 Inches 

I Feed mine on Pea's, Cockles, Blood Worms, and Hikari Crab Cuisine 

They are really good at climbing wires and Escaping and when handling they are Very quick so i tend not to get them out, they are not bothered by fish, i've kept mine with Neon Tetra and Guppys and a Fighter with no Problems never seen them attempt to touch any of the above. 

Hope the Above helps


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## lolly (Apr 2, 2008)

yes i thought this however, we own red claw crabs in abother tank and they do look totally different in person!

they are darker and hairyer!!! 

they also are ALOT bigger and more muscley... 

they are about 4inches atm i would have said... i will try and measure on later!!!but they are growing.

hmm, ill keep them in brackish water then and follow that guide in case they are. but! who knows!


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## lolly (Apr 2, 2008)

we got our rainbow crab from shirley aquatics, and also i think hollybush garden center sells them aswell

the dynamite crabs we got from a small fish shop, theyd been there for at least three months in a small tank, we felt sorry for them so when our rainbow dies and the tank wwas ready we couldnt resist. the guy gave them too us on bogoff offer and was sad to see them go!


i think most places if you ask for them will get them in.
however rainbow crabs still steal my heart their tempraments are alot nicer than other crabs ive kept.

these are insteresting to look at and act alot differently to red claws aswell... i find the red claws to be a bit nippy.. these ones are clingy but very shy...

but maybe its how they were brought up! also they like being together compared to my red claws that have different ends of the tanks!


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## Krocodyle (Mar 14, 2010)

Humm, there Caraspace does look more uneaven than Red Claws thats kinda what gave me the impression they were something different.

Im looking for something in the Fiddler Crab family but all i can find is Golden fiddlers, was Hoping for something more Colourful, im planning on getting some Rainbow crabs if i succesfully breed the Red Claws i have at the moment. Im also hoping il find some leopard Crabs 2.

I Remember seeing the Rainbows in Shirley Aquatics but i think i can source them cheaper


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## Esfa (Apr 15, 2007)

I love me crabs and I can't ID them at all. :gasp::gasp:

Edit: One of them looks quite purpley... are they purple? lol
If so, they're vampire crabs. Geosesarma sp.


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## lolly (Apr 2, 2008)

noo they arent vampire crabs either!  i dont think!!!
they arent as dark as vampire crabs we saw those before and they dont look that much alike :S
but then again i could be wrong :S

Their front claws are very even in size aswell which we thought was cool but they arent that bright, the pictures make it look like they are but its juts the contrast against their body.
i would say they are a very deep red/crimson not purple. with black hairs all over them they are like fuzzy things.

Also we got our rainbow crab for £10 which we could have got cheaper but we figured we liked him and he was going to be with us for years so we didnt mind!


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## lolly (Apr 2, 2008)

more pictures 









































this si the smallest crab of the four! and sorry some are upside down lol!


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## exoticsadmirer (Oct 22, 2009)

look a little like cameroon rainbow crabs too me.


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## lolly (Apr 2, 2008)

im going to google all these suggestions now and see what looks similar, 

but im guessing the way we are caring for them now i the best way forward!

and if the grow... well.. the tank has to be upgraded anyway as the fish will need more space eventually....

:2thumb::no1::2thumb:


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## Kevin_D (Oct 16, 2007)

they are Sesarmops intermedium I think. I was thinking of getting dynamite crabs when a local shop said they could order them, but I found out that they would need saltwater for the young to develop, so decided against it for now. Theres some info on them here,

Google Translate

link doesnt work, you need to go to forum, species profiles.


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## lolly (Apr 2, 2008)

Kevin_D said:


> they are Sesarmops intermedium I think. I was thinking of getting dynamite crabs when a local shop said they could order them, but I found out that they would need saltwater for the young to develop, so decided against it for now. Theres some info on them here,
> 
> Google Translate
> 
> link doesnt work, you need to go to forum, species profiles.


the link works. thank you that is most helpfull indeed!
we have been on the phone to suppliers and no one so far has been able to tell us about them!

even the shop we got them from!
(also thats a really interestign site  )


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## trevor c (Aug 18, 2010)

Ive got 2 dynamite crabs.They have just shed there shell,it was amazin.Have yours done that yet?


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