Transition from fresh water to brackish water

Question
I have been doing lots of reading about the care and setup of my aquarium for a red clawed crab. Most of what I have read is that they need and survive better in a brackish environment. The pet store I will be getting one from however keeps them in a freshwater setup. How do I transition the crab from the freshwater to the brackish water when I bring it home? I have also read about the range of salinity for my brackish tank (1.004 to 1.010). Is anywhere in between that range ok? thanks for your help, Sarah

Answer
Hi Sarah,

I keep my brackish tank at 1.012 and it does great, but it's recommended that your species of crab, be more around 1.005 to 1.010.  That is what I recommend.

To acclimate the crab to salinity, add one teaspoon of Marine Salt per day until it reads the desired salinity on the Hydrometer. Make sure to use a Hydrometer to measure the salt.

A tip - Wal Mart has hydrometers for 2 dollars right now in our city.

Certainly, he will be a joy to have around. They are very, very cute!

Congratulations.

:)

Happy fish-keeping.

Renee