help!?!?!?!? newbie with red claw crabs needs advice

[biohazardcustomz]

ok so i fell in love with the red claw crabs at petsmart and i spent almost 100 on a tank and everything i needed to provide a proper 15 gallon tank set up for them.third on land two thirds under water with a repti flo waterfall filter. everyone was happy and loving everything. untill i had an ammonia spike a week later. NOBODY TOLD ME TO CYCLE THE TANK BEFORE I PUT THEM IN!!! i only had it running for two days then i put them in. i was so ticked. one of my buddies died and i feel horrible. but i have 5 in there now and they are fine. ive been doing frequent water changes and keeping to ammonia down below .25 but i dont know what to do! please help!!!!!!!! my five lil buddies lives depend on it because the jack offs at my petsmart know NOTHING do i need a heater. what temp? i have so many questions.

 

[aidenb]

you'll need a heater, and did they tell you red claws are brackish animals?

 

[biohazardcustomz]

you'll need a heater, and did they tell you red claws are brackish animals?

no they didnt but i found out. when i went back they apoligized and sold me f'n aquarium salt. now i dont know what to do with that. but what should i do about the cycle. do nitrate and nitrites hurt them? i know ammonia does

 

[biohazardcustomz]

is this really all the info you guys have for me? is they are brackish animals? it said that on the tag. i need advice on what to do because after just spending a hundred bucks on the set up the last thing i want to happen is them all to die. i love my lil buddies and the ammonia keeps spiking. i keep doing massive water changes and trying to control it. but i need to know if the nitrites will hurt them when it is going thru the cycle. please help me!!!!

 

[Fat Homer]

Although i can't answer your question on how the nitrates etc will effect your crabs, i do suggest you try looking up threads on cycling fish tanks (in your case crab tank) so you get a better idea of whats happening with your tank and how to solve your nitrate/ammonia problem...

 

[biohazardcustomz]

Although i can't answer your question on how the nitrates etc will effect your crabs, i do suggest you try looking up threads on cycling fish tanks (in your case crab tank) so you get a better idea of whats happening with your tank and how to solve your nitrate/ammonia problem...

i cant find anything on red claw tanks and i know about cycling fish tanks i have four of them. the pet store didnt say the cycle would effect my crabs or that i needed to cycle their set up. they had them in a 15 gallon with slanted rock and a water agitation pump. no filter. and when ur dealing with 1 gallon of water its a little hard to maintain the ammonia. i know what cycling is i just dont know what to do to keep them safe because i dont want to hurt them. one died thats why i tested the ammonia in the first place. it was over 7 ppm the first time. now i dont let it get above .75 at most. usually i catch it before its .25