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my mole crab aquarium


amphipod

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I have piled sand and shells, they buried themselves, I put a gentle current on them. I crunched fish flakes into ma powder which I mixed in water I am using this as food.

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I will keep track of ammonia and smell. Let's hope they last a good few months, I already know they have short lifespans, and their storage conditions were horrid when I bought them.

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Why do you give such a short time span for my keeping of the crabs?

Filter feeders can be difficult to care for. And while some people have reported success, more people fail than succeed. However, I wish you luck. Keep us informed on how they are doing.

 

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I will keep it well told of, but for now they have buried themselves, only a few sent out feeding antenna.

 

I at present have 9, one baby and 8 adults, one has been less energetic, the largest of the crabs.

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I really am sorry to hear that. I know that I didn't give them long to live, but I'd be happier if I was wrong. I just don't feel that they stand a chance in a small, new tank (without natural plankton to eat). I think the people that have had some success, kept them in larger mature tanks, with deeper sand beds, and good water quality. I'm really not sure what food would be acceptable; but I'd think that a diet live Synchaeta rotifers (or even commercially prepared filter feeder foods) would work better than crushed flake food.

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Kinda weird, the smallest is also the healthiest, and that one wasn't from the bait shop. Fortunately I can buy filter feeder food at my LFS.

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I don't want to encourage you to keep difficult animals; but since you have them, what do you run for filtration? You need to maintain water quality while providing enough food. A good protein skimmer can help.

 

Without a protein skimmer, I'd at least have a power filter (for mechanical filtration). Remove the filter floss temporarily while feeding, then put it back in to filter out the excess food. Rinse or replace the filter floss often. You can use Poly-Fil (100% polyester fiberfill). It's pretty cheap for the amount you get (just make sure that it doesn't say that it's fire retardant). You can find it in the craft department in most Walmart stores.

 

Again, I'm not saying that any of this will work. I'm not really sure how to care for them (I've never attempted it myself). I'd also frequently perform large water changes (in attempt to maintain good water quality). Finally, remove any dead or dying mole crabs.

 

What are the specifications of the tank your are running? Post a picture of the setup you have them in.

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ScooobaSteve

How much are you paying for those? When I take the kids to the beach my 4-year old collects dozens/hour. Everything from small 5mm crabs to 2".

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Hmm.. seems to me that water movement would be important for filter feeders, and it doesn't look like there's enough movement in the water with just an air stone... actually there doesn't seem to be much water at all

 

Time to go fishing?

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We would catch those things right at the edge of the shoreline, so they typically had a HUGE amount of water rushing over them constantly. I doubt a tank exists that could provide that much flow without creating a sand storm. I'm talking about a strong enough flow that it would nearly take your feet out from under you...

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I know, I felt the sea waves when they were 3-5 feet, one ended up being more like 7 feet high at 50 feet out, dragged me so far, it was fun lol

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I went through the sand to see if any die beneath the sand bed, ends up they always go to the surface to die, only ones dead were the less energetic ones. I have 6 living happily.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Dang, tank crash. Come home, everyone is dead at the top of the sand bed :'(

 

Sea bass you were off by around one week. Still that's around 3 weeks longer life than they would have had on a fishing hook. I preserved 2 in alcohol. Water got bad quick.

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I imagine that a couple more died, and the ammonia finished off the rest. It's too bad that they don't tend to do well in captivity. Interesting creatures for sure.

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