Can You Have A Japanese Spider Crab As A Pet?

Answer 1

.... I'll improve this horrific answer.

I'm assuming, first of all, that you know that the spider crab is in fact a crab. Spider crabs are crustaceans, part of the Superfamily Majoidea. They are scavengers, and several species are decorator crabs as well, meaning that they decorate their shells.

Tanks displays should be simple, a few rock formations, little algae, and a sandy floor.

However, I would discourage the keeping of the Japanese Spider Crab simply because of its size. Japanese spider crabs can grow from 4-10 feet in length (and not 16 feet, as the previous answerer suggested) and therefore do need a lot of room. Perhaps not quite as much as my predecessor suggested (something like 60 feet by 30 feet) but certainly a very large tank.

If you would like to keep a Spider Crab, I would recommend keeping a Portly Spider Crab, which can be found in the North Atlantic and can grow from 2-3 feet in length. This will still require a somewhat large tank, but nowhere near as large as what would be needed for a Japanese crab.

Continuing, Spider Crabs are docile creatures, and I would recommend them to any experienced aquarium owner. You just need a large enough tank.

Caring for a spider crab: Spider crabs need little intensive care and are largely nocturnal. They also require socialization once in a while, but having other creatures in the tank would generally be good enough. Spider crabs feed on dead fish, shrimp, and other bits of dead matter and debris. Due to their generally slow movements, it is important that you supervise their feeding, and make sure that they get the nutrients they need. Another important point is that crab tanks require regularly applied amounts of supplement chemicals, like iodine, which help crabs make their shell. Don't despair, though- putting in a bunch of seashells (which dissolve and release said chemicals) will supply the water with enough materials.