Crabs: What Do They Eat?

One of the things that makes crabs so enjoyable to watch is their voracious appetites. But what do crabs actually eat? Knowing what to feed your crabs can help ensure that they remain healthy and happy members of your tank or aquarium.

The Natural Diet of Crabs

In their natural environment, crabs typically eat a variety of plant and animal material. The most common animals eaten by crabs include small mollusks, worms, crustaceans, and insect larvae. Crabs also eat algae and a variety of aquatic plants.

Feeding Your Captive Crabs

In captivity, the diet of the crab can depend on the type of crab you have. Some crabs, like the red clawed crab, need to be fed a diet that is high in protein and supplemented with vegetables, fruits, and other plant material. Other crabs, like the fiddler crab, need a diet that is high in vegetation. Fiddler crabs also need calcium supplements in their diet as well.

The best way to feed your crabs is to provide them with a variety of food items. Providing a variety of foods will help keep them healthy and ensure that they get all of the nutrients they need. Some of the different food items you can provide your crabs include:

• Shrimp

• Fish

• Clams

• Squid

• Brine shrimp

• Spirulina

• Kelp

• Seaweed

• Algae wafers

• Bloodworms

• Baby brine shrimp

• Freeze dried plankton

• Insect larvae

• Vegetables

• Fruits

• Cooked beans

• Cooked grains

• Dried sea vegetables

• Calcium supplements

Keeping Your Crabs Healthy

Feeding your crabs a variety of foods will help ensure that they stay healthy and active. It’s important to ensure that the food you are giving your crabs is fresh, as stale, old food may not provide your crabs with all of the nutrients they need. Additionally, it is important to only provide your crabs with food they can easily eat and digest.

Finally, it’s important to remember that crabs need access to both fresh and salt water in order to stay healthy. Make sure to provide both a fresh water source and a salted water source in order to replicate as closely as possible their natural environment.