Soldier Crabs

[damsels]

Hi brothers,

Recently notice that Aqua Marine at Jala Kayu is selling these cute soldier crabs !

Picture below :

http://uk.geocities.com/rtphotobe/nat/w030001_p.jpg

Just wanna know :

1) anyone have experience keeping them?

2) are they reef-safe?

3) are they suitable in our tank? because as far as I know they are usually found on the shore ...

[Achilles Tang]

They are shore crabs, spending a considerable amount of time sifting through sand for food during low tide.

I don't think they will thrive if they are always in water.

[FuEl]

These only come out to feast on detritus and other form of organic matter that is mixed with the fine sand. They filter out the food using their mouthparts and deposit the clean sand as pellets on the shore. During high tide they reside deep in the burrows which are covered with water. Their burrows are specially constructed to have trapped air pockets inside in which they breathe the air from. Without such conditions simulated in captivity they often drown if kept submerged long term. They will NOT feed when submerged.