klk916 Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 I hope someone has seen or heard of this critter I accidently brought home. It's a crab who lives in my pulsing xenia, and who is exactly the same color as the xenia. I'd think it was a coincidence, but its eyes are indistinguishable from the xenia's pods (is that the right word?). Initially it was only nibbling on the xenia a bit, and protecting it fiercely and rather comically from any curious eyes (mainly a busybody cleaner shrimp). Now, though, it seems to be eating more of the xenia, which is pulsing happily but also shrinking at the stalk. I've tried to offer it other foods (flakes, brine shrimp, cyclops) but it doesn't seem to be interested in doing anything with it but defending the xenia from me. If it can live harmoniously in there, it's welcome, but I fear it's going to eat all of the xenia. My LFS guru said it's a "xenia crab," and that it shouldn't destroy all of the xenia as that's its bread and butter, but it's not a terribly big piece. My instinct is to frag the xenia so he has his own piece and put the rest far away. Has anyone heard of this creature? I'd hate to have to destroy it if I don't have to. Thanks! Link to comment
FloorLord Posted February 15, 2005 Share Posted February 15, 2005 probablly some sort of rock crab, they SUCK, I had one mow a Pink Yuma in my 25 gallon, OUCH! I would take him out, ASAP. Dane Link to comment
BKtomodachi Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 No, rock crabs are ugly. I've actually experienced one of these before, they are awesome! They match the xenia so closely, and I loved ours. We fed it xenia beucase as you said, it ate it fairly steadily, but of course there was plenty. You've got a cool "farmer"! Link to comment
klk916 Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 Thanks so much for the quick responses! Between FloorLord and BKTomodachi, we have exactly the same differences of opinion as are going on between my other half and myself. I think he's really cool, and he wants to snuff him before he snuffs the xenia. He's a beautiful thing, really, but then so is the xenia, of course. Unfortunately for him, I'm afraid the xenia isn't nearly big enough to sustain him without sacrificing its life, so I'm leaning towards the LFS plan to remove him to a separate container (no sump or other thank salt tank) and see how the xenia reacts. This will certainly kill him after ??? amount of time. If I had a huge crop of xenia......any other ideas?? Link to comment
Kogut Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Well if it is a symbiotic creature, it should know how much of the xenia is too much, then stop eating it... I'd leave it in until you start to notice the xenia suffering losses and not recovering from them... I hate to take something out before I'm sure it's bad. Especially since it is just a crab and can be removed easily, probably. Link to comment
klk916 Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 Well, the xenia does show signs of suffering...shrinking and this evening not pulsing as much...shouldn't be hard to remove the crab if I have to but I'd really rather not...hoping it's just temperamental (the xenia). Link to comment
BKtomodachi Posted February 16, 2005 Share Posted February 16, 2005 Xenia is one of the most temperamental things I've ever dealt with... I'd take it to the lfs and toss it in their xenia tank while they arent looking! Link to comment
klk916 Posted February 16, 2005 Author Share Posted February 16, 2005 Heehee...tempting thought...I'd certainly get caught, though. Link to comment
BKtomodachi Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 I dont know... Where I used to work, I walked into the second room of the store to find a lady with her sleeves rolled up and her arms reaching around the bottom of our display 85 gallon... I was like "can I help you?" She turned around and just kind of looked sad... then I realized she was stealing! Her coat pocked was stuffed full of red shrooms... lol I have no idea why you would steal shrooms. Link to comment
melcolm Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 LOL tomodachi. that's some funny $HiT. Xenia grow fast! I say isolate him for a little while, let your Xenia grow in and then put him back to farming his crop. does it look like this? cool! Link to comment
klk916 Posted February 17, 2005 Author Share Posted February 17, 2005 Well, yes, that's him, but without the patterned pigmentation. The xenia would have to grow really fast to keep up with his appetite. That's not likely as it's looking positively droopy...much of it is sheared off and what's there isn't pulsing. At this point I'm fearing for its life. It'd be nice to find someone with a bumper crop for him, but that's not likely. Do you supppose he can be fed anything else? Is the pic yours, melcolm? Link to comment
NCNBilly Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Crabs are usually scavengers or at least advantageous eaters- I'd say isolate him and he'll eat whatever he can fit in his mouth. Link to comment
BKtomodachi Posted February 17, 2005 Share Posted February 17, 2005 Thats most likely not true... coral reefs allow for such specialized diets that many species, when brought into captivity, cannot adjust to anything other than what they've evolved to do. Link to comment
brianemone Posted February 18, 2005 Share Posted February 18, 2005 ive seen those crabs before, basicly very happy cute crab untill all the food it gone (xenia) then they die. In the tank i saw it it totaly ate all the xenia present and then tried a soft coral but didnt like it and so he starved to death Link to comment
klk916 Posted February 18, 2005 Author Share Posted February 18, 2005 Yes, he's all about eating all of my little piece of xenia. I took him out and tried to feed him several other things, but haven't seen him eat anything. I'd be happy to ship him off if anyone wants him...seems a shame to let him die. Link to comment
BKtomodachi Posted February 19, 2005 Share Posted February 19, 2005 I wish I had a xenia bed to sacrifice! I'd put it up in the classifieds, people are always looking for unique invertebrates. Link to comment
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