Species: Halloween Crab (Gecarcinus quadratus)
Care Level: Beginner
Place of Origin: Central America, South America
General information: The Halloween crab is a very interesting tank species. They can be housed communally and in simple to moderately elaborate setups. They are a nocturnal species that prefers to bury itself in the substrate during the day. We do no recommend handling this species due to stress and their willingness to pinch. They are rumored to live anywhere from 2yrs to 10yrs. But nobody know for sure the average life span for this species do to only wild caught specimens being available. Sexing the Halloween crab is easy. Males will have a very narrow somewhat rocket shape at the bottom of the carapace/ abdomen. While females will have a large U shaped formation.
Housing/ lighting: Due to being nocturnal the Halloween crab requires no artificial lighting. They are best kept in a moderately warm environment 75-85 degrees. They require humidity in the upper 60%. We house our guys on a blend of peat moss and coconut fiber and provide about 4“to 6“ of substrate. They require misting at least every other day. But we mist ours daily. A bowl of fresh treated or bottled water should be available at all times.
Feeding: Primarily herbivores but will eat processed meats and commercial Hermit crab food (that has been moistened). We feed our guys escarole, red leaf, green leaf, papaya, mango, dehydrated dried fruit, and ZooMed hermit crab diet. We also only use either bottled water or dechlorinated tap water. We also recommend that you provide your crab with at least 30% commercial hermit crab diets. These formulas have essential calcium and vitamins necessary for your crabs health.
If you have any further questions feel free to contact us: staff@gaiaexotics.com
