General Question

chelle21689's avatar

Can blue crabs live in fresh water?

Asked by chelle21689 (7907points) May 6th, 2010

At my parents’ grocery store we sell some blue crabs and I noticed a tiny baby blue crab. I know no one will want to buy it to eat, so what do I do with it? Can it live in a pond?

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12 Answers

simone54's avatar

They need brackish or salt water.

chelle21689's avatar

Oh well, I’ll just put it in a pond haha. It’s probably going to die anyways, no sea or brackish water around me where I live.

rebbel's avatar

In what water are the adult crabs living then, until the customers choose them?
If that is salty water, then why don’t let the baby stay in there?

Response moderated
bongo's avatar

They need salt water to live, if you are intending on getting it I would reccommend getting a small tank and air stone, he will not be happy in freshwater.
They love to have shelter too so they can hide like on rocky shores under rocks so put a little mini flowerpot in there for him.
they are also omnivores so if you do get him feed him on little cubes of potato or a tiny bit of bacon or dried meat. they go nuts for potato tho.
I wouldnt put him in with other fish either tho as they can tend to take a fancy to the smaller ones for their dinner!

CMaz's avatar

“f you are intending on getting it”

Fill a pot with water. Add some Old Bay seasoning. Toss in crab, bring to a boil. Eat.

BoBo1946's avatar

loll geezzz…what happened to people’s sense of crabbiness! i mean humor!

BoBo1946's avatar

@ChazMaz that is how you do it…when i was working, worked a many a hurricane on the Gulf…and late in the afternoon, we adjusters would buy crabs, strimp, and sometimes crayfish, and get some cold beer…ummmm..good memories! Those times made a bad situation a little better!

CMaz's avatar

I hate to say this… But…

Living on the water, I eat crabs, clams and all sorts of seafood ALL the time.
I think I will have a steak tonight. ;-)

BoBo1946's avatar

@ChazMaz loll hey, if i could…would be living on the Gulf…maybe someday! Family situation keeps me from doing it!

badnewz's avatar

Recent research by scientists at North Carolina State University and the University of Maryland is leading to a new kind of crab harvest that could help the population recover – blue crabs grown and harvested from freshwater ponds, instead of from the sea. The researchers discovered that crabs can tolerate a salinity level of only .3 parts per thousand, which is about the same level found in coastal tap water. They did further work to determine the best set of circumstances for raising crab: population density, food rations, and habitat structure in ponds.

CMaz's avatar

And you will end up with a flavorless crab. :-)

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