Crab Rainbow in the role of a pet

Rainbow crab is a pet? Imagine, this is really possible. Iridescent crabs, photos of which are placed in this article, have long become inhabitants of aquaterariums. Nothing unusual in that they are given more and more attention, no. Among similar ones only the rainbow crab can boast such a vivid coloring and such a variety of palette. By the way, he has a lot of other names: indigo, patriot, tricolor, terrestrial. In Latin its name sounds like Cardisoma armatum or, respectively, Indogo crab, Patriot crab, Tricolor / Red / Blue crab, Land crab, Rainbow crab.

Among the crabs, he is one of the largest. The diameter of its shell can reach 20 cm. In this regard, the aquaterrarium for it, you either have to choose a large one at once, or change it as it grows up.

To begin with, a rainbow crab, the content of which will require considerable effort and effort, should be available at least half a square meter per individual. With the content of a pair (or more) of such handsome people, a more voluminous (in length from a meter) aquaterarium is chosen.

The rainbow crab is pretty fastidious and at times inordinately capricious. To create the living conditions will have to try. But beauty always requires sacrifice, is not it?

Appearance

Bright blue armor (call it back) can reach the density of colors to juicy purple tones. Brown feet do not have the usual whitish proreches and are evenly colored. The pincers have several shades of red and brown at the same time and are the brightest at the junction, with their outer side paler. The abdomen may be bluish or pinkish, but more often white.

Habitat and nature

In nature, the rainbow crab selects coastal sandy areas for settlement, digging out fairly deep passages (burrows) there. However, it can also be found in remote places from the coast - such a removal is pushed by the lack of food in the main habitat.

Salty ocean waters are of interest to crabs only at the time of reproduction. Thanks to this Cardisoma armatum it is quite possible to contain and in freshwater aquaterariums. True, a slight podsalivanie will be required when molting. Crab rainbow in the home does not multiply, because it refers to individuals of wild origin. At least until now, these beauties were not allowed to breed in the water aquariums.

Does not differ Cardisoma armatum and peacefulness in relation to relatives. However, this directly depends on the mood of the crab. And it is very changeable. It is interesting that the war between the individuals Cardisoma armatum does not begin immediately. First, an attempt is made to capture the house, then blocking the food with the whole body (which is quite quick with them). In case of refusal to leave the territory, a battle begins.

The necessary conditions

Cardisoma armatum suffers a fairly heavy load during molting, which frequency is 1 time per 10 days in young individuals and 2 times a year in adults. At this time they go into shelter, so put more grottoes, shards, amphorae, etc.

The mark of water in the aqua do not rise above 15 cm (over the surface should be elevated numerous sites and pebbles for rest). Do not forget that these are land crabs. For a ground choose pebbles, a crumb of a zeolite, tufa, a granite, a coral (fraction from 5 mm). Water, of course, should be clean, with frequent replacement and preferably with an artificial duct. Among the necessary equipment is an aerator and filter. It is very important to control the presence (or rather, lack) of ammonia, nitrates, chlorine, which are harmful.

The adaptation period of the rainbow crab must survive in salted (sea salt!) Water with a hardness of 10 GH. The temperature should not exceed 25-27 degrees. Intensive greening of the aquaterarium is welcomed. Algae for the crab - and shelter, and feed. In addition, the diet of Cardisoma armatum should be squid, mussels, flour worms, bloodworms, liver (beef, chicken), gammarus. Quite useful for crabs is a mixture of sweet pepper (red), nettle (dry), calcium glycerophosphate (crushed tablets). Feeding is carried out only on the surface, on stony wide platforms. The ingress of food into the water will cause its decomposition, resulting in poisoning and death of crabs.