My first death

[Smokey Joe]

Well, I found my 5 month old emerald crab dead today. I think it has been dead in there for at least a few days as it hasn't moved since the weekend. I removed it of course and did a check of water parameters and everything seems normal. I have a lot of well established live rock with I think saved me from much pollution.

 

It begs the question though, why did he die? Things die of course and I'm inclined to think it was unavoidable but who knows? He was large (old?) and seemed to have some growth coming out of him for a few months but I'm not sure thats responsible.

 

I have a 20g with a orchid dottyback, false percula, and a large coral banded shrimp. In addition I've added about 10-15 hermits of various sorts and 10-15 margarita/bumblebee snails since the tank was started. There has been a steady depleation of snails and hermits but I attribute that more to predation than anything. I feed every other day and give them about a half cube of frozen food. I cycle between five different kinds of food. Could I be underfeeding?

[Crakeur]

First off, are you sure it died? I have found shells, thinking crabs were dead only to find that they had molted. If, in fact, it did die, perhaps it was old age, as you suggested, or maybe it was a lack of food or even a lack of iodine, which inverts need for molting (correct me if I am wrong on that note).

[tyoberg]

I doubt it's a lack of iodine. Keep an eye out--they molt more often than they die.

 

Ty

[Sahin]

Sorry to hear about the crab death.

I suppose it could have died of old age, at least that better than dying of something else.