How to Raise Mud Crabs at Home

For the aquatic enthusiast or those wanting a pet to work around their busy schedules, mud crabs can be an interesting choice. Although hermit crabs are more popular crustacean pets, mud crabs, or Scylla serrata, shouldn't be overlooked. They may not be cuddly, but a mud crab can offer hours of enjoyment as its owner can watch it burrow into sand, prey on smaller vertebrates or bask in the sun. However, understanding its basic needs is vital to ensuring a mud crab's long, healthy life.

Things You'll Need

  • Aquarium, 10- to 20-gallon or larger
  • Aquarium salt water
  • Water filter
  • Oxygen pump
  • Aquarium sand/gravel
  • Rocks or other aquarium decorations (optional)
  • Crab food
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Instructions

  1. How to Raise Mud Crabs at Home

    • 1
      A minimum of a 10- to 20-gallon aquarium is ideal to ensure your mud crab is comfortable.

      Set up the aquarium on a counter or stand that is within reach of an electrical outlet. Add 2 to 3 inches of gravel or sand to layer the bottom. Fill the aquarium with the salt water. The ideal mix of salt water for mud crabs is 10 to 20 parts-per-thousand (ppt) salinity, according to an article by Pinoy Entrepreneur titled "Raising Mud Crabs."

    • 2
      A functional filtration system is important to ensure the tank is properly aerated.

      Attach the filtration system and oxygen pump to the aquarium. Pour water through the filtration system if not submerged and turn it on. Make sure the equipment works. Decorate the tank with rocks or other aquarium decorations, if desired.

    • 3
      Mud crabs like to party at dark, as they are more active at night than during the day.

      Add the mud crabs. Keep the temperature in the aquarium between 37.4 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit or 3 and 45 degrees Celsius, reports the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce.

    • 4
      In the wild, mud crabs are scavengers and will eat a variety of food, but pet stores offer several substitues.

      Feed the crabs items found at pet stores such as crab food, shrimp pellets or sinking tablets.

    • 5
      Have fun watching your mud crab enjoy its new home.

      Observe your mud crabs. Pay attention to the health of your mud crabs. Watch for your crab to eventually molt and lose its outer shell or exoskeleton which will leave it looking pale and discolored as it adapts to its new shell, as explained by the Bangladesh Fisheries Information website.