WV Reefer Posted August 6, 2023 Author Share Posted August 6, 2023 It’s been awhile since I’ve given an update. This tank just passed its 6th birthday. The tank is chugging along as usual. The Chromis crew have been laying eggs on the glass off and on for the last few months. I told them to pick a better spot than the glass. 🙄 Today I need to kill a few aiptasia that I have been neglecting. Sally boy is turning into a giant. the look they give after I scrape their children off the glass. red Goni cabbage 8 Quote Link to comment
mcarroll Posted August 6, 2023 Share Posted August 6, 2023 3 hours ago, WV Reefer said: Sally boy is turning into a giant. Sorry if this question is redundant, but do you have a way for him to get out of the water (without getting out of the tank)? Something I read about them....always wondered if anyone catered to this need. Do you see him surface often? 1 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 16 hours ago, mcarroll said: Sorry if this question is redundant, but do you have a way for him to get out of the water (without getting out of the tank)? Something I read about them....always wondered if anyone catered to this need. Do you see him surface often? I’ve never heard that about Sally Lightroot crabs. He has no way out of the water and mostly sticks to his cave area. 2 Quote Link to comment
mcarroll Posted August 7, 2023 Share Posted August 7, 2023 Could be something that becomes more true as the crab gets older. I think I read it in Bob Fenner's book The Conscientious Marine Aquarist. Maybe on his website. Also, if you watch vids of them in the wild they are regularly out of the water. (Maybe these are all mature crabs? They are HUGE.) Maybe it was a reference to the Galapagos sally lightfoot and it doesn't apply here... (Common names...grr.) Wish there was more good info on these guys.....what's out there is highly non-specific and (un)fairly contradictory at times. Wikipedia has some references that claim our sally lightfoot crabs (Percnon gibbesi) are "strictly herbivorous". I have known people to claim otherwise in home aquarium settings....and there are tons of posts online that make similar claims. 🤷♂️ I'm glad yours has worked out and I'm glad you're posting about him....it really doesn't seem like there are very many good first-hand accounts of keeping them. (In spite of how many folks add them as part of their CUC.) 👍 Does the tank always have "some algae" around and/or do you do anything to target feed him(her)? 2 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted August 7, 2023 Author Share Posted August 7, 2023 7 hours ago, mcarroll said: Could be something that becomes more true as the crab gets older. I think I read it in Bob Fenner's book The Conscientious Marine Aquarist. Maybe on his website. Also, if you watch vids of them in the wild they are regularly out of the water. (Maybe these are all mature crabs? They are HUGE.) Maybe it was a reference to the Galapagos sally lightfoot and it doesn't apply here... (Common names...grr.) Wish there was more good info on these guys.....what's out there is highly non-specific and (un)fairly contradictory at times. Wikipedia has some references that claim our sally lightfoot crabs (Percnon gibbesi) are "strictly herbivorous". I have known people to claim otherwise in home aquarium settings....and there are tons of posts online that make similar claims. 🤷♂️ I'm glad yours has worked out and I'm glad you're posting about him....it really doesn't seem like there are very many good first-hand accounts of keeping them. (In spite of how many folks add them as part of their CUC.) 👍 Does the tank always have "some algae" around and/or do you do anything to target feed him(her)? I leave him to feed himself. I see him pick algae off the rocks and back wall. I also see him dig through the sand while munching and he will catch whatever the fish happen to be eating. I think I’ve had him for a year or more and he just keeps growing….. he’s probably almost six inches when stretched out. 4 1 Quote Link to comment
StinkyBunny Posted August 13, 2023 Share Posted August 13, 2023 On 8/7/2023 at 10:39 AM, mcarroll said: Could be something that becomes more true as the crab gets older. I think I read it in Bob Fenner's book The Conscientious Marine Aquarist. Maybe on his website. Also, if you watch vids of them in the wild they are regularly out of the water. (Maybe these are all mature crabs? They are HUGE.) Maybe it was a reference to the Galapagos sally lightfoot and it doesn't apply here... (Common names...grr.) Wish there was more good info on these guys.....what's out there is highly non-specific and (un)fairly contradictory at times. Wikipedia has some references that claim our sally lightfoot crabs (Percnon gibbesi) are "strictly herbivorous". I have known people to claim otherwise in home aquarium settings....and there are tons of posts online that make similar claims. 🤷♂️ I'm glad yours has worked out and I'm glad you're posting about him....it really doesn't seem like there are very many good first-hand accounts of keeping them. (In spite of how many folks add them as part of their CUC.) 👍 Does the tank always have "some algae" around and/or do you do anything to target feed him(her)? It depends on where they're collected. There are 3 distinct species and 2 of them are omnivorous. Those 2 are problematic in an aquarium. 3 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted December 3, 2023 Author Share Posted December 3, 2023 Full Tank Urchin Cabbage Codium Hermit Leather Pink Nepthea wild anemones Moved this guy from the 12 Gallon Long so he can be free to do what he wants. just a fraction of his body outside his lair 8 1 1 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted December 3, 2023 Author Share Posted December 3, 2023 One more: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cybu4q1pFeb/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== 4 1 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted December 3, 2023 Share Posted December 3, 2023 11 hours ago, WV Reefer said: One more: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cybu4q1pFeb/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== So cool! 1 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted December 3, 2023 Author Share Posted December 3, 2023 24 minutes ago, Snow_Phoenix said: So cool! he is so interesting to watch. I need to try to set up a camera to catch him building and rebuilding his lair. It’s amazing how he attaches things together with little webs like a spider. 1 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted December 3, 2023 Share Posted December 3, 2023 58 minutes ago, WV Reefer said: he is so interesting to watch. I need to try to set up a camera to catch him building and rebuilding his lair. It’s amazing how he attaches things together with little webs like a spider. That'd definitely be incredibly cool to document & see. I haven't been lucky enough to see one actively burrow in my sand before. I know I used to have plenty in my big tank (saw the tunnels while tearing the tank down), but never spotted one like this. 1 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted December 3, 2023 Author Share Posted December 3, 2023 3 hours ago, Snow_Phoenix said: That'd definitely be incredibly cool to document & see. I haven't been lucky enough to see one actively burrow in my sand before. I know I used to have plenty in my big tank (saw the tunnels while tearing the tank down), but never spotted one like this. It would be easy enough to set up but the question is could I make it cat proof?………..I’m thinking no. 2 Quote Link to comment
spectra Posted December 3, 2023 Share Posted December 3, 2023 Looking great and remind me there is no filtration in this tank correct? or should say no mechanical filtration..... 2 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted December 3, 2023 Author Share Posted December 3, 2023 20 minutes ago, spectra said: Looking great and remind me there is no filtration in this tank correct? or should say no mechanical filtration..... Thanks. Correct. Just lights and power heads with a water change now and again. 4 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted December 7, 2023 Author Share Posted December 7, 2023 Some more close-ups of the guy: Check out the jaws 4 2 Quote Link to comment
mcarroll Posted December 11, 2023 Share Posted December 11, 2023 Those colors are something else! 1 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted January 6 Author Share Posted January 6 The guy built a new entrance to his lair with used crab parts: eating leftover pellets: Also RIP Chester. I’ve had him almost 6 years. He was my favorite. 1 4 Quote Link to comment
Justind823 Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Yikes, I don't think I could keep that in my tank but it is amazing to see. Tank is looking really great and I love those wild nems! 1 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted January 6 Author Share Posted January 6 8 minutes ago, Justind823 said: Yikes, I don't think I could keep that in my tank but it is amazing to see. Tank is looking really great and I love those wild nems! Thank you. He’s most interesting when he builds. I wish I could see under the tank to view what kind of tunnel system he has going on. 1 Quote Link to comment
debbeach13 Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 RIP Chester:( Everything else looks great. 1 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 He reworked his original design: Out and about: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2Qy6j7rp0K/?igsh=MXY4M21tbnVnbmpkaA== 8 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted January 24 Author Share Posted January 24 2 hours ago, StinkyBunny said: this cat is too lazy to invade anything but my space. 3 Quote Link to comment
WV Reefer Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 Finally replaced the smallest island that broke during the move. Need to kill a bunch of aiptasia next the guy added some shells to the entrance….. if you look close in the last two pics you can see the web holding them together. gorg pink Nepthea gsp wall being bulldozed by the urchin. I have no idea where this guy came from…….Ive had him for several years and only see him once in a while………the picture doesn’t begin to show how bright it is. This thing is NEON! 8 Quote Link to comment
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