# Tanganyikan crabs



## shellies215 (Jan 7, 2011)

I know there are several crab species in the lake, but I can find very little info. Does anyone know of any tanganyikan crabs available to the aquarium hobby, or where to get them? I want to get a large square tank (maybe 48"x48" or 60"x60") for shell dwellers , rock dwellers, and crabs with an island in the middle where the crabs could come out of the water without being able to climb out of the tank. I could use fiddler crabs, but I don't think they are from tanganyika.


----------



## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

I don't think I have ever seen them in the hobby, maybe in germany or something.

I have read that they're borderline impossible to keep alive in transit so that may be the cause. I would make sure you're going to stock with one of the larger more boisterous shellies before you dump any kind of crab in there. I've never done it but I can just see a fiddler crab hovering over a multi shell with the poor little multi's tail in it's pincher!


----------



## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

Here's a thread in another forum where someone had them and actually bred them. He's got links to video too. Very cool stuff.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I saw one in my LFS the other day. Crustaceans generally will try/succeed to eat the fish while they have their shells. And the fish will eat the crustacean when it molts, regardless of hiding places. If I were going to try a Malawi crab I'd tailor a tank just for it.


----------



## usctom (Apr 27, 2009)

I saw some at Atlantis cichlids.net last summer. They were expensive though. They also had some shrimp from the lake.


----------



## JCB (Mar 18, 2007)

I have seen them in the Netherlands, germany and Polen in the last few months. 2 or 3 different species.


----------



## shellies215 (Jan 7, 2011)

Thanks for the input. I think if I do set this up I will use fiddler crabs fo a few reasons. 1 I have kept them before. 2 they never killed any of my fish 3 if you provide them with an island they spend much of the time out of the water. 4 they cost $4 - $6 around here.


----------



## larry.beck (Jul 31, 2009)

Crabs eh? My wife is a big fan on our Tanganikyan eel, but I would have never expected a crab! LOL Gotta check out those links, prov.


----------

