Will hairy crabs die if put in water?

The hairy crabs you just bought are alive, so you can put them in water for a while, but not too long, because the environment at home is different from the environment outside, and the hairy crabs will not survive for a long time, so it is best to eat them in time. If left for too long, the hairy crab will naturally die. We know that dead river crabs cannot be eaten as they will cause the breeding of bacteria.

Will hairy crabs die if put in water?

Crabs are crustaceans that live in water. Like fish, they breathe with gills, but their gills are somewhat different from those of fish. Instead of growing on both sides of the head, they are divided into many soft, sponge-like feathery gills that grow on both sides of the body, and the surface is covered by a hard cephalothorax.

When it breathes, it inhales fresh water from the back of its body. The oxygen dissolved in the water enters the capillaries in its gills, while other water and substances flow through its gills and are exhaled from both sides of its mouth. Although crabs live in water, they still need to go ashore frequently to find food. It does not dry out after leaving the water because there is still a lot of water in its gills, so it can breathe continuously.

However, if it stays on land for a long time, most of the water in its gills will be carried away by the air, the gills will gradually dry out, and it will find it difficult to breathe. At this time, the crab will still breathe in water, moving its mouth and gills desperately, continuously inhaling air and then exhaling a little water in its gills along with the air, forming many bubbles.

Crabs spit bubbles because of their unique way of breathing. Crabs, like fish, are gill-breathing animals. The difference is that fish breathe by sucking water into their mouths and then letting the water pass through their gills. Crabs breathe by first sucking water into their mouths through their gills, and then spraying the water out from the water holes on both sides of their mouths.

To sum up: it is impossible for ordinary crabs to be drowned in water in a short period of time. If there is a lack of oxygen in the water, they will suffocate to death.

Can you eat crabs that have died in the water?

It's best not to eat it. Crabs are scavengers with extremely strong immunity. The food they eat contains many bacteria and viruses, but they are suppressed by the crab's immunity. Once the crab dies, or even if it is not dead yet but is just dying, the bacteria and viruses will multiply in large numbers and breed some biological toxins. So if you see that the crab is half dead and lifeless, it is best not to eat it.

After being captured, crabs often try to break free, which causes an increase in lactic acid in their bodies. This can cause bacteria in the crab's body to multiply rapidly and spread into the crab meat after the crab dies. Bacteria will decompose the amino acids in the crab's body, and then produce a harmful substance "histamine", which can cause allergic food poisoning; another substance that may be produced is "histamine-like" which can cause vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea, so be careful when choosing.

How to clean crabs

(1) Soak in salt water

When you buy live crabs, you should first rinse the dirt off the surface of the crabs with clean water, and then soak them in light salt water for a period of time. This will allow the crabs to vomit out the dirt in their stomachs. During the soaking period, you should pay attention to changing the water frequently until the water vomited by the crabs is clean. Then pinch its back with your hands, and suspend it in the air close to the edge of the reel so that the pliers can just clamp the reel strings.

(2) Soaking in white wine

Let the crabs soak in the wine for 5-10 minutes to give them a thorough bath. The waste in the body can be excreted through the stimulation of alcohol, and the crabs can also be made drunk by white wine. The wine can not only remove the fishy smell of the crab, but also make the crab stop struggling, making it easier to handle later. Of course, if you don’t have white wine at home, you can use 45-degree warm water to scald it. When the water temperature is high, the crab's legs and claws will fall off. People who have cooked crabs before will be aware of this. This will also prevent the crabs from being scalded to death and affecting their nutrition and taste. Put the crabs in warm water for about 3-5 minutes until they stop moving.