I have a female fiddler crab that is carrying eggs. I discovered this tonight and this is the second time she's produced eggs. The first batch didn't survive because no one that I've asked has given me any info. I would like to try and raise these babies. I have read it is difficult to do, but I would still like to know how. If anyone can give me information on this please do so, it would be most helpful.

The first stage of a hatched fiddler crab baby is called a zoea. It's a swimming larva that needs open ocean conditions. Unless you are prepared to simulate oceanic conditions in your seawater aquarium (this would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars), you may as well forget it. The eggs may hatch, and the zoeae may live for a few days, but ultmately, there's no way to raise fiddler crab babies. At least, not without scientific research equipment (and even then, it's darn hard). I recommend you just enjoy the crabs you have, and don't try to breed them. It's doomed to failure.

i found this out on a website hope it helps you tell me if it does !

Thanks for your infor. I know you're right. It's better to just enjoy them. Although she'll keep producing eggs. It would be fun though if I could do it. Anyway thanks, you explaied a little more than any website did for me.

ohh your very welcome allee90 anytime!

By the way horseyhannah what was to website you looked at? I'm not saying I'll try to raise the babies my crab released her eggs last night anyway, but it'd be interesting to know if it goes in to any detail on raising them. Please let me know.

the money and time it would take to raise the zoea (larvae of fiddler crabs) is not worth it. It's almost impossible to get the eggs to last more than a few days and even more difficult to get the larvae to live more than a day or two. They need a complete ocean environment with adequate plankton, waves, currents, tides everything. This cant even be accomplished with the best of salt water aquariums. Be glad that your fiddlers laid eggs, but thats probably as far as it will go.