Scientific Name: Sesama Mideri

Distribution: Southeast Asia

Size: Fiddler crabs grow up to about 2 1/2 inches

Temperament: Fiddler crabs are usually timid, but may pinch when handled.

Hardiness: Fiddler crabs are very hardy when properly set up and maintained.

Sexing: Fiddler crabs can not be sexed visually.

Food:Fiddler crabs will consume almost anything edible - a true scavenger, can be fed tubifex worms, night crawlers, dead fish, sinking fish pellets and some aquatic vegetation.

Housing: A 5 or 10 gallon aquarium is suitable for a group of these crabs. They can be kept in a fully aquatic set up with a cork bark float for hauling out purposes, or better yet in a shallow shoreline set up with a 3/4 water section sloping into a 1/4 land section of sand or gravel. Landscape with select driftwood, cork bark slabs, rocks, aquatic plants, and if a land section is used provide some clumps of damp moss as various shelters. Can be kept in a community tropical fish tank with compatible co-inhabitants.

Water: Filtered water is recommended for fully aquatic set ups (power or undergravel). Frequent water changes are needed for shoreline set ups. Use only dechlorimate/dechloramined water at all times.

Temperature/Humidity: Fiddler crabs should be kept at a water temperature between 65 degrees F - 75 degrees F. This species is very cold tolerant, and can be kept outdoors if temps do not fall far below 65 degrees F.

Lighting: Full spectrum lighting/U.V. radiation is unnecessary for Fiddler crabs. Standard aquarium lighting as used for tropical fish is sufficient.

Heating: A fully submersible aquarium heater can be used if kept in a tropical fish set up, but in general no supplementary heat is required for Fiddler crabs.

Notes: Many other species of aquatic crabs currently being offered such as the various Fiddler and Thai crabs from all over the world can be set up and maintained under similar conditions.