NanoJunkee Posted September 7, 2003 Share Posted September 7, 2003 I got three sand crabs from saltwaterfish.com about a week ago to help with sand stirring. I honestly thought they were kinda creepy looking at first, but they're such big dumb oafs that they grew on me. "Big" being a key word there...the site stated their size as 1", but they're more like 2". ~~2" of blindly dive bombing dummy in a 7gal minibow x 3 = stampede in a china shop~~ So, I've been debating wether to offer a couple of them up to willing takers...because they are great sand stirrers and they're active so they're neat to watch. (Actually, I've been trying to use them to justify starting another tank...) BUT, a couple of minutes ago, I was walking by my tank and looked over just in time to see one sticking it's butt out of the sand farther than usual. I got closer and holy crap! She was birthing babies...@$%loads of babies! I dipped a glass in and caught a few, and confirmed that they were live and swimming, not eggs. My peppermints went nuts immediately, but I don't have anything else that will eat them, I don't think. I've got to do some research on that, because I might be better off skimming them out now...as much as I'd hate to do it. I attached a rather crappy picture, but you can at least see how dense they are! Advice, anyone? Link to comment
NanoJunkee Posted September 8, 2003 Author Share Posted September 8, 2003 It's been about 3 hours now...and it's still baby crab soup! The peppermints are all freighted and have retired back to their cave for a nap. They'll grow to monster size in a week on a diet like this! Link to comment
R*Frost* Posted September 8, 2003 Share Posted September 8, 2003 cant believe any 1 hasent congratulated u. WELL DONE live in uk or i would gladly take some of ya hands. Good job got any pics Link to comment
NanoJunkee Posted September 9, 2003 Author Share Posted September 9, 2003 As of this afternoon, I can only see a few swimming around. I'm assuming the rest have either found a little haven in the sand or rocks...or been chowed! I AM a proud Mommy, though! =) Link to comment
leesnuts Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 That is amazing and in a 7G you will have a large number of die off because of food and space limitations. Does anyone know if this happens often? Lee Link to comment
jdsabin1 Posted September 9, 2003 Share Posted September 9, 2003 I love pictures like this. Someone posted something similar not too long ago with their peppermint shrimp. I don't think you wind up with too many surviving but it sure is cool to hear about. Link to comment
beefjerky402 Posted September 21, 2003 Share Posted September 21, 2003 omg i got 3 of these a couple days too. now i have all these eggs in my aquarium. ill post pics when i get the chance, do you think these eggs will mess up my tank? Link to comment
Crakeur Posted September 22, 2003 Share Posted September 22, 2003 well, I have had them for a while and never saw this happen. so, ask the two of you, did you leave a bottle of wine out? Seriously, how long have you had them? My corals will love this, if it happens. Link to comment
NanoJunkee Posted September 22, 2003 Author Share Posted September 22, 2003 I'd only had them in my tank for about a week when it happened! I think Saltwaterfish.com is dosing Spanish fly in their kalkwasser... =) Jerky: did you notice that the "butt feathers" had turned red on one of them just before the Big Spew? I'm pretty sure that's the female that laid them. After about 2 days the soup dissipated. I have alot of 'pod life, so I always see little buggies swimming around...I'm assuming some of them are baby sand crabs. I read up on them, and apparently the larvae go through several very different looking stages when they're that small. I'm sure most of them were chowed pretty quickly, though. Link to comment
Crakeur Posted September 22, 2003 Share Posted September 22, 2003 I want babies dammit. I love those sand crabs. the dive bomb cracks me up but I have had to rescue a crab or two from the rocks a few times. they swim up and dive bomb into the crevices and then I need to aquascape a bit to get em out. Link to comment
NanoJunkee Posted September 22, 2003 Author Share Posted September 22, 2003 You're right...they do get themselves wedged in the rocks sometimes, and I have to dig them out. But, they've grown on me BIGtime. I wouldn't part with them now, like I was originally considering! I just need to make sure all my corals are tightly secured to the rocks. Crak, maybe you ended up with an all-male or all- female batch. =( I take it you've never noticed any aforementioned red butt feathers? Link to comment
Crakeur Posted September 22, 2003 Share Posted September 22, 2003 I never looked for a red butt feather but I will now. I do see the butt sticking out from time to time. I love my crabs. After my blackout meltdown I wasn't going to replace them. I had heard mixed reports on whether or not they were bad for the sandbed. then my sandbed turned brown so I got them again and the sand is clean again. Link to comment
beefjerky402 Posted September 22, 2003 Share Posted September 22, 2003 yeah the aquascape thing ####ed me off, they used to get stuck in the rocks all the time. im not quite satisfied they way it looks now, but they dont get stuck that often now. crakeur i only had them for like 2 or 3 days. i see 2 of them all the time, but 1 is always in hiding. think hes dead or something. junkee no i didnt get a chance to see the crab do its business. i took a nap and when i woke up, i saw all these eggs flying around. Link to comment
Crakeur Posted September 22, 2003 Share Posted September 22, 2003 time will tell if I will get some action in my tank. two of the crabs I got were huge and the third was real small (less than an inch). I got lucky there. three big ones flying thru the tank is a scary sight. Link to comment
Fant Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Any chance for pics of the adults?? 'sand crab' is rather generic Link to comment
caja Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Fant, there are two links to pics and info in this thread: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/showthread...&threadid=18007 Link to comment
Fant Posted September 26, 2003 Share Posted September 26, 2003 Thanks caja.. thats what critters i thought they were.. Link to comment
v13tpR0t0t1p3 Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 I WAS WONDERING WAT TEMPERATURE DO YOU LEAVE ON, IN YOUR TANK FOR THE SAND CRAB? Link to comment
er1c_the_reefer Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 yea, i find these critters at the beach... i actually use them as bait for surf fishing when i go after corbina. i thought they were more temperate animals and require stronger flow since they do live in the surf... could be wrong though... let me know how the long term survival is... Link to comment
Stephen-in-Va Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 That link didn't work. "Sand crabs" are the same thing as "mole crabs" and "sand fleas" right? Link to comment
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