Strawberry crab care

[Purple pinchers]

Well after keeping my PP for almost 3 years i have decided to try a strawberry

I will be setting up a 5 gal tank for ISO but first i have to clean it out because there is some rust in it (dont know how it got in there counting its a completely plastic tank) Then i will be useing eco-eath for substrait. Do starwberry crabs need to be able to completely submerdge themselves in saltwater and fresh or just saltwater? I have about 2 weeks before i get a straw so that gives me a good amount of time to get the iso tank perfect. Then once the time is up on iso he will be moved to a 20gal tall with lost of stuff to play on. The other crabs i have are 3 medium PP. The heat source in the main tank is a UT heat but on the iso i will be useing a heat lamp and for humidity will be a repti-foger,moss ad sometimes a good misting. What about food? anything speacial that i should be feeding him?
Any tips on straws will be helpfull

[aussieJJDude]

I would try on straws not a straw Also I haven't had first hand experience on keeping straws, it is just the info I have collected.
I mostly found that straws like to completely submerge, however, as long as they can get most of there body in (like most of the shell) it should be ok - so 2 inch or so will do.
I would also suggest getting a bigger tank as straws are more robust compared to PP's and they LOVE to dig! If me, 2 straws in a 20G is the minimum. They also prefer deeper substrate because they like to dig. Many people have reported there straws dying for moulting attacks then the temps/humidity.
Try feeding foods high in carotene to maintain that deep/rich red colour! Also straws prefer a higher humidity and temp range compared to the other species. And much to the popular belief, straws can live in fluctuating temp/humidity ranges, after all, somebody has been keeping them with fluctuating temps/humidity for 6 or so years So she must be doing something right.
I hope the best for your lil ones Your so lucky to get them

[ladybug15057]

There are many postings here within HCP regarding Strawberry's and their care. (including my post regarding the care I have given my straws for years.)
Please do go to the upper right corner of the board, in the search box type "Strawberry care" and read the numerous pages of postings.

[arhoads]

My strawberry (Kong) has just come up from his 3rd molt. He submerges himself in both the fresh and salt water frequently after a molt but mostly it is the salt water he goes for. Try raspberry, watermelon, red peppers and Japanese Maple leaves for color enhancing. He also eats alot of cuttlebone when he comes up from a molt as well as pecans and honey. He loves to climb more than my other crabs and enjoys the hemp net full of moss.

[Andee]

I keep a strawberry named Gizmo, currently looking for a friend for him. They need temps and humidity at 80 degrees F and 80%. In my experience they don't change shells easily as I've had Gizmo for I think six months and he refuses to change into a larger shell .___. I need to find some native shells for him. He's a gentle giant though, but they tend to bulldoze things and wreck the tank more than PPs in my opinion or at least he does maybe it's because he wishes he was smaller. But they definitely need at least 20 gallons for one straw and I would say 30-40 for two. They like to roam is the problem...