# Planted Tanks > Vivariums >  Purple Vampire Crabs

## butterflychild

Hello all im needing some info about Purple Vampire Crabs before i get any more. As my one died. I was told to use sodium for PVC for when they molt it will help there new skin harden. What kind of sodium do i use?. Aswell as i need calcium to keep them strong would cuttle bones work ok. Is there anything else i need to keep PVC'S healthy and live a long happy life.

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## David Moses Heng

HI. For my vampires, I have never encounter problems with them molting cos I feed them with hikari crab cuisine. Also, in order for your crab to survive the molting process, be sure to provide plenty of hiding space for them to hide after the molt.

Cheers!!

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## butterflychild

well i had 3 hiding spots for my single PVC but she molted in her water dish so im not sure if she drowned wel molting or not. She did molt her skin and it was behind her but looked like it was still attached but when i moved her it droped off. she was a whiteish pinkish colour after molting. But i was told i need sodium and calcium to keep her healthy and sodium to help her new skin to dry out. I want to know wverthing b4 i got get some more PVC.

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## butterflychild

I cant seam to find hikari crab cuisine anywere near me.

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## hardric

Why sodium? They are completely freshwater if Im not mistaken. I used to put coral chips in the water so that the water has enough calcium &amp; minerals to help them molt. They molted quite successfully until I gave them away.

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## butterflychild

Oh i dont know thats what i was told by a guy from a PS i was in. He said they needed it to help there new shells harden. Thats why im trying to find out what i do and dont need b4 i buy more PVC. i have pretty well everything i need to get my vavarium started. am putting Cuttle bone pieces and powder sprinkeled around the land part aswell as coating calcium on there food. My PVC died during or after molting and i dont want that to happen again so im trying to cover everything i need to do and get. If you can give me any help in any way that would be great tyvm.

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## David Moses Heng

Chances are that your crabs died during molting due to a lack of calcium. 

When the crabs do not have enough calcium in their diet, the molting process can be very traumatic for them. 

By the way, these crabs are more terrestrial than aquatic. 

Cheers!! :Smile:

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## hardric

I keep mine in a tank filled with gravel. My water is tupperware filled with corals for calcium &amp; other minerals. I change the water 2-3 days. I have more hiding places than crabs. My only problem? I never saw them.

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## butterflychild

Well i only had 1 PVC as my LPS got it in but didnt order it so i took it i put it into a 5 gal tank with gravel on the bottom and substract on top of it i put in a bowl of water in the tank with a plastic plant to help her get in and out of water just in case. I had 3 hiding places for her a clay pot, beta log and a fake stump. I put in cricketts covered in calcium powder but she wouldnt eat them. Yes i know that they are more of a land crab then water. Im ny 40 gallon tank it will be about 20-25% water and the rest land. how do i get the crabs to eat more calcium.?

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## hardric

I always assumed that hard water was good enough. Thats my experience. And that they dont eat crickets.

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## butterflychild

Oh ok i dont know anything about hard water what is that. Other people have told me that they do eat cricketts aslong as they really small.

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## fisherw

Hard water is water with a lot of minerals dissolved in it. It leads to lower suds or foam with soaps and the like although if one has only lived in an area of hard or alternatively soft water (the opposite, water with very little minerals in it), one would not be aware of the difference. One other problem of hard water is scaling. The light coloured stuff (usually scaly and termed scale but also sometimes gungy and icky) at the bottom of kettles or around the heating elements. If you have to descale your heating radiators or boilers, you probably have hard water.

Water in Singapore is relatively soft although kettles here have scale after a period of use but lots of people here probably throw away their kettles after years of use either when they break down or get real old and have never descaled their kettles.

It is generally believed that minerals in the water would help the shell making/developing of crabs. I have read that some species of shrimps have problems with hard water. Don't know if it is molting problem or breeding or that the water parameters are then not suitable. We have lots of shrimp experts here so perhaps someone can shed (pardon the pun) some light.

But on the subject of vampire crabs, I strew coral bits in the water and on the land part. I have also read of crushed egg shells and have also thrown some in. Have never seen them eating either but ???

I have fatalities but only one immediately after a molt (came out wrong and was badly deformed). But the other dead crabs have been soft and spongy and a fellow forumer here and with more experience have suggested it is due to the lack of calcium. I have also read that the molt (old shell) should be left in for the crab to eat for additional calcium (or minerals) but mine have never eaten them even if I leave the molt in for days.

I have never fed them crickets so cannot comment.

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## butterflychild

Ok so do you think if i put in some Cuttle bone pieces (used for some birds to chew on which is calcium) in the water and land part that will help.? I cant seem to find the coral or coral chips in my area so trying to find something else that might work the same way.

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## butterflychild

Do you think this stuff is ok to use in the water part.? If i can get it. CaribSea Aragonite Caribbean Puka Shell

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## lucasjiang

> Do you think this stuff is ok to use in the water part.? If i can get it. CaribSea Aragonite Caribbean Puka Shell


i searched the pictures onliune, and it looks like crushed seashells and corals? It will be ok  :Smile: 
If you live near the sea you can just pick your own sea shells, wash them and boil them (to sterilise them) then crush them and sprinkle them on the gravel and substrate. It will work alright too.

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## Jovel

I heard that vampire crabs will attack and eat dwarf shrimps, can anyone confirm this? Sorry to highjack this thread, but is there a difference in living conditions between the purple/bicolor vampire and the Sulawesi red vampire crab?

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## butterflychild

No i dont live near a sea so i will have to buy some seashells or coral ty for letting me know.

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## lucasjiang

> I heard that vampire crabs will attack and eat dwarf shrimps, can anyone confirm this? Sorry to highjack this thread, but is there a difference in living conditions between the purple/bicolor vampire and the Sulawesi red vampire crab?


The conditions are the same for both as they live in similar habitats.

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## Jovel

> The conditions are the same for both as they live in similar habitats.


Thanks lucasjiang, thinking of setting up a tank for them as well. Are they quick enough to catch shrimps?

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## butterflychild

Jovel I dont think that PVC are are fast enough to catch shrimp but im not 100% sure as i only had one PVC and didnt have shrimp i just watched how the PVC moved anf there really slow. But the experts in here can tell you better then me. Im just now building my Vivarium for PVC and some other kinds of critters to go with them. Does any one know if these plants are ok to put in my Vivarium and ok for PVC and other tropical critters. Fern, Ribbon Fern, Lemon Button Fern and Green Fantasy Fern. Please let me know tysvm.

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## lucasjiang

> Thanks lucasjiang, thinking of setting up a tank for them as well. Are they quick enough to catch shrimps?


To that question, i am not very sure. But they dont venture into deep water frequently, so if you make the water deep enough, your shrimp should be safe.

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## RVizzle

Have no idea about the molt deaths. I got my first PVC from a local pet store for almost half price due to her losing some legs in a panther crab attack. Week later she molted fine in the deeper water (about 2") and got all lost legs and a claw back. Lucky I guess. I've seen they needed iodine supplement also to help with molts but have used nothing. I use tap water with de-chlor and that's it.

They can/will eat crickets(here where I am we can get "pinhead" crickets that are very small), have no idea about shrimps though.
Proof before your eyes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oBka94-APA


Jovel, as long as you don't keep the two together you'll be set. I hope to start another viv for red devils myself. :Wink:

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## Jovel

Yeah think of setting up a vivarium with deep waters. Im afriad they drown thou  :Confused:

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## butterflychild

Well my Vovarium that im building will have around 6 inches of water so pretty deep but im going to have about 2 inches if seashells and a few rocks with plant in the water and some hanging in the water so they should be able to get out fine hopefully not drowning.

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## Blue Whale

Consider having a "root" or "roots" or branch from the bottom up to the dryland. If they fall, they can climb up slowly. Life saver.

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## hardric

I would put rocks so that they mimic steps. But generally you will be surprised on how well crabs climb.

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## butterflychild

Im going to have a waterfall so i will have rocks that are like steps and will probably make another set of steps just in case. I will have some plants that will reach to the bottom of the water part.

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## Blue Whale

: ) Should be interesting. Do post up for us to see.

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## butterflychild

Oh yes for sure i will post as i build it and the after look im getting so exsited but yet i have screwed up already. I was sapose to use clear silicone but used white my LHS was sapose to give me clear and i didnt know till it was to late i hope it turns out and looks great. And that im not disapointed in my work.

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