How to Keep Crabs at Home? A Detailed Guide to Home Rearing Methods

The vast world is full of wonders. Many people keep cats and dogs as pets, and now some even keep hamsters, rabbits, pigs, turtles, and crabs. So, how do you keep crabs at home?

1. Environment

Keeping crabs at home can be done in a cement pond, a larger plastic basin, or a somewhat bigger fish tank. No matter what it is, they can be kept; here we focus on the fish tank. Put some stones and fine sand at the bottom of the tank, add tap water that has been left in the sun for one day, and the water should cover the crab's shell. Then plant some aquatic plants in the fish tank, such as Hydrilla verticillata, Vallisneria natans, Elodea nuttallii, and so on, to create a good living environment for the crabs.

2. Putting in the Crabs

Put the selected large crabs or small crabs into the tank; they themselves must be free of disease and injury. Crabs are social animals, so several crabs can be kept together, which gives a relatively high survival rate, but the sizes and specifications must be consistent.

3. Food

Crabs are omnivorous animals and can be fed egg yolk, animal offal, small fish and shrimp, Chinese cabbage, dried tofu, pumpkin, potato, river snails, mussel meat, bloodworms, and so on; they are very easy to keep. Feed 1-2 times a day, with the amount of food based on it being finished within half an hour.

4. Cleaning

The crabs should be cleaned regularly. When cleaning, hold the crab steady with your hand, then use a toothbrush dipped in a little body wash or soap to scrub it, especially the hard-to-reach spots, pulling its legs to brush them. After washing, rinse it clean with water, and the fish tank should be washed too. Occasionally sprinkle in a little salt, which can prevent infectious diseases.

5. Changing the Water

Change the water every three days, and after changing the water sprinkle an appropriate amount of quicklime, which can sterilise and disinfect.