I was at my LFS and I saw this really cool crab. It was a 'shamefaced crab' and was hilarious and was burrowing and stuff. I mentioned it to the dude and he picked up a different crab from the water and it SWAM away. I was so excited! So I figured I could set up a cool little ten gallon tank for these/a mantis shrimp/ a qt tank if needed. So anybody got any suggestions?

Thanks!

Are you asking if it would be cool to put a mantis shrimp in with this crab and other stuff? If so, I would say no imo. Either one or the other.

No I meant like get crabs, then when I'm bored get a mantis.

that would turn a boring crab tank into a mantis only with some karate action! watah

is a shame faced a box crab? Might be...will look it up in a second...

yep box crab..(that is what they call them down here...) I would say yes, there is no way a nano size mantis (2-3 inches) is going to do a thing to a box crab without getting cut in half. If someone is gonna become a meal, it is the mantis. Box crabs are well defended and there is no part of them that can be really crushed in a small mantis' claws. Would have to be a pretty large mantis to mess with a box crab, they have a lot of fight to them, and quite a powerful pinch. A 2-3 inch mantis despite aquaria lore isn't all that tough. Maybe a little pinch on your hand ...enough to startle you and that is about it....maybe you will say "ouch" An adult box crab though...he may be able to draw blood, and you will be saying "OUCH! @(&@$&!@#%#^" I have kept each, but never together...

I am all for it...

Ultimate Reef Fights .com

They should leave each other alone. The box crab is an ambush predator, and won't seek out the mantis, who should be able to easily hide out from it. Box crabs are horrendously boring creatures to have though...just sit there all day, but so are mantis in my opinion...eh..to each their own.

youtube.com/mantiswrecksboxcrab7secondsafterintroduction

Heh. Maybe, it was this awesome crab that was active the whole time. I think I've gone against the mantis thing. Maybe I will have a chamber in my sump for a cool crab

apparently that link doesn't exist. I know you mantis guys are all big on how bad/horrifying they are, but we use them for bait down here when we aren't eating the larger ones. Redneck lobster. We catch them with our bare hands. I didn't even know they could pinch until I read about them in aquaria lore.


hey if you found an active box crab then grab it up. Mine sat still all day except to pinch me and eat.

Apparently, they are a great dinner in addition to being the next best thing in DVD technology!