Whos Killing the Crabs?

[seashells]

Had a good look into the tank on Saturday, & to my surprise I saw a large crab with its claws open, not moving. Pointed a light at it ...still not moving. Took a better look around, and wow theres another one. We got them both out, but not sure if we crushed the heads getting them out or something else did. Also noticed one of are Purculas is missing. Everything else is fine. Havent heard any clicking or snapping noises. Any ideas?

[kwirky]

might have died while molting? my emerald crabs molt exactly the same time (which is very strange in my mind), and I lost one to molting before.

[marie]

Had a good look into the tank on Saturday, & to my surprise I saw a large crab with its claws open, not moving. Pointed a light at it ...still not moving. Took a better look around, and wow theres another one. We got them both out, but not sure if we crushed the heads getting them out or something else did. Also noticed one of are Purculas is missing. Everything else is fine. Havent heard any clicking or snapping noises. Any ideas?
Are you sure they aren't the empty shell left after a molt?

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Crab troubles, too...eh? Yesterday I found one of mine in the middle of my livingroom floor. Dead, obviously. Grrrr.

[OCDP]

Crab troubles, too...eh? Yesterday I found one of mine in the middle of my livingroom floor. Dead, obviously. Grrrr.

Living room floor? How'd that happen? lol

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Living room floor? How'd that happen? lol

lol, heck if I know!

[seashells]

Iv'e found them on the floor before as well???? Not Molts, the were both all there, the whole crab.

[andsoitgoes]

Crabs, with death wishes? Maybe dreams of freedom? Too damn much finding nemo!!

[OCDP]

lol, heck if I know!

That's pretty funny. venturous little buggers... a little too venturous ....

[Midknight]

Crabs, with death wishes? Maybe dreams of freedom? Too damn much finding nemo!!

I see your all blaming the crabs, maybe it was a hit, you know a professional job.
The old sleep with the humans if you don't cough up the fish pellets... with interest...:twised:

[seashells]

Lmao!!!

[Rippin]

Seashells,

Give us a bit more info on the other inhabitants that you have in the aquarium. What you've provided so far doesn't give us much of a lead.

Were both crabs dead? So the entire crab was there - pieces not missing?

I've had a cleaner shrimp die right in front of me. Just rested on the rock and passed away. Probably malnutrition.

When my hermit crabs molt it LOOKS as if the crab has been ripped in half and eaten - startles me all the time. But later on I find out it's just an empty shell and the crab is all right.

[seashells]

No pieces missing. Claws in grab position. All peaceful inhabitants (other than the Damsels of course) Tang, Yellow clown gobies, manderin, dragon, blennie. Missing one purcula.

[archimed]

This is a long shot - but any chance that a mantis shrimp has been hiding out in your LR? I had my entire cleanup crew wiped out twice, mysteriously. Two years after my tank had been set up, I heard a 'clicking' sound in the evenings that I couldn't place. Finally, I figured out that a mantis shrimp had hidden away and survived the 4 day trip from Jakarta to Edmonton :!
He had been silently killing dozens of cleaners in the tank before I lured him out. He was the size of my pinky finger! Ugly little guy too..

btw - first post. I recently came back to the hobby after a few years hiatus from my last (failed) attempt. This time I have a 14gal Oceanic Biocube that I'm still setting up. Located in Deadmonton!

[seashells]

Welcome back! Havent heard any clicking, but totally possible. Might have just got big enough to do damage. We are setting up a 29 BC at our store right now as well! What did you use in the second chamber? I am trying rock & rubble. I will be transfering a well established reef into it. Good Luck!

[fishwave]

Crab troubles, too...eh? Yesterday I found one of mine in the middle of my livingroom floor. Dead, obviously. Grrrr.


lmao!! living room floor! wow thats hilarious

[BCOrchidGuy]

As crazy as it sounds I read a story (true) a couple years ago about a freshwater tank, every so often the Apple snail would go missing for a few days only to show up again in the tank. About the same time the Apple snail would go missing the family would find odd crap on one of the bedroom mirrors, the wife always blamed the hubby saying he'd sneezed and didn't clean it up. One night someone got up and low and behold found said Apple snail climbing the stairs in the middle of the night, it all made sense now... the snail had been going up stairs to lay it's eggs on the bedroom mirror.

Doug

[justinl]

no way man! that is one wild story. Long way to go for a snail. that's what i call dedication.

[archimed]

Welcome back! Havent heard any clicking, but totally possible. Might have just got big enough to do damage. We are setting up a 29 BC at our store right now as well! What did you use in the second chamber? I am trying rock & rubble. I will be transfering a well established reef into it. Good Luck!

Thanks for the welcome! In my BC14 I'm going to go with rubble in the second chamber also. I picked up fully cycled water, live sand and a damsel from someone in the forums that was shutting down their tank last night. Today I'll be picking up LR, doing a 20% water change, and finding some rubble for the 2nd chamber.

I'm still reading up on the BC14, but one of the thing I'm going to do is a wiring mod to get the fans to turn on with the actinics. Temperatures seem fine right now, but I'll have to keep an eye on it when the 10K lights are on.

[seashells]

I seeded the sandbed today with about a cup of live sand from our 75, also added about 15 lbs live rock from same tank. I have about 2 lbs rubble in the second chamber, not sure if I should add more as it would not be submerged all the time. Have a ball of Cheato rolling around as well. I will give it a few days then add the rest of the rock & aquascape.