Fiddler crab breeding for O. vulgaris

[josh0302]

I currently have a Octopus Vulgaris named Fluffy in a 150 gallon. Lately as he gets bigger his live food is getting very expensive. Does any body have any experience with breeding fiddler crabs and if so describe the process and whats the easiest way. Also if you hare experience with breeding hermit crabs that would also be helpful. Thanks!

 

[Calappidae]

I don't believe anybody has ever done it as the fiddlers/red claws have very specialized breeding requirements, and hermits rarely spawn in aquariums, as well as the fry are destroyed by filteration and relatively difficult to keep alive long enough. What you'd spend trying to seput these breeding stations and keeping the animals alive would be a huge pointless investment and possibly more expensive then just buying them as food. You might be buying a year's supply of food to even get a breeding population!

Unforunantly there is not much else to do. Finances should've been thought out better before purchasing a specialized animal. I'm no cephalopod expert but I think they will eat other things like silversides as well.. might wanna second opinion that though.

 

[sirrealism]

Can I ask why your just wanting fiddlers? I feed mine shrimp and other crabs. With a Vulgaris you have to be going through 5-10 fiddlers a day. There are plenty of other foods for them. Bait shrimp is one of the best foods for them. Also as a treat apiece of salmon is nice. Blue crabs, Just about any fresh uncooked sea food is fine. I found that mine liked thawed raw peal and eat shrimp. At first he would only take them with shells on but after a wile he would take them shell off. "No mess"

 

[Opcn]

If you are doing live food shrimp is definitely an easier road to go down than crabs. There are a few varieties of saltwater shrimp with clear well established breeding procedures that are not impossible in a home setting. However, it will take you a few months to grow anything to the size that your octopus will want to eat, starting from scratch as you are. You're octopus will probably be on social security by that point, especially considering that this thread was posted two months ago.