Jump to content
Innovative Marine Aquariums

Official Pom Pom Crab (Lybia Tesselatta) Thread


CGNano

Recommended Posts

My pompom cost 20 euros which is around 26 dollars. Welcome to the cool north with cool prices. ;)

 

I'm totally in love with mine. He (not sure of the sex though, need to check some day) looks like Stewie from Family Guy and has such an adorable grumpy look. He seems to like it in my 8G Dennerle Nanocube which he shares with some pistol shrimp and couple of crabs (which I've been unable to catch from the rocks, they are smarter than I am).

 

And he is such a bully too. I've seen him poking the crabs with his pompoms around the feeding time. First he sneaks up to them and then *poke* *poke* with the other pompom. Though the only one annoyed by the poking is the anemone. :D The crabs are just "What, was that supposed to hurt or something?" and just keep on feeding.

 

Here's a bad pic of Stewie (and the pissed off anemone) trying to look cool after the poking had no effect.

post-49044-1334410986_thumb.jpg

 

I've been thinking about getting an another one, but I wouldn't want them killing each other. Will have to give it some more thought.

Link to comment
Here's a bad pic of Stewie (and the pissed off anemone) trying to look cool after the poking had no effect.

post-49044-1334410986_thumb.jpg

 

I've been thinking about getting an another one, but I wouldn't want them killing each other. Will have to give it some more thought.

 

 

You'll be fine adding more than one. I have a female which is hers old and found her a mate that is about a year old and they do great and even mated. She lays eggs about once a month but the male only mates with her at random. Never had a problem with more than one.

Link to comment

Seeing them reproduce, even without getting any offspring would definitely be interesting. Maybe I'll do it. Thanks for the encouragement. :)

 

Here's a pic of the latest (a bit shriveled up) molt. Even after staring at pics of different sexes I'm not totally sure which one it is, but it does look more male than female. The crab is still rather tiny and slender (carapace is around 8 millimeters wide).

 

post-49044-1334423008_thumb.jpg

Link to comment

Thank you again, I so suck at sexing crabs. :D

 

The tail doesn't fill up the tummy area in the real crab either, but it's not as tiny as it looks like in the molt. The confusing part is that the tail is wide and female looking at the base, but it gets thinner, pointier and more male looking at the end. Maybe that's because it's so young?

Link to comment
  • 2 months later...

I have 2 boxers who are doing just swimmingly in my 10 gallon.

 

I already had a female named Wasabi for awhile. Wasn't 100% certain it was female until she laid eggs! Then began my search for a Saki for lonely little Wasabi. I studied Wasabi's underside and took pictures to stare at since I already knew that she is a she. And when I finally picked another crab, again I wasn't 100% sure I had correctly gendered my choice. Unit I caught Wasabi "dirty dancing" with her new found boy toy less than 3 hours later!

 

Look at the markings. The markings change a bit because there's less space. I see both of them often and Wasabi is carrying eggs again. Yaaa for live food! :happy: It's why I want my inverts breeding.

Link to comment
altolamprologus

Anyone know the lifespan of pom pom crabs? My male turned up dead last week (no, its not a molt) after about 6 months of doing well and breeding with the female. He was pretty big so I guess old age got him.

Link to comment
Anyone know the lifespan of pom pom crabs? My male turned up dead last week (no, its not a molt) after about 6 months of doing well and breeding with the female. He was pretty big so I guess old age got him.

 

I have had my female for 4 years. Still laying eggs and bought her a bf, year ago. Both healthy as ever with huge nems in each hand. I haven't found any other that has lived longer but I'm happy to keep this pair for as long as it takes.

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
Goby Angyl

Since adding a male, Wasabi has been laying eggs within days of hatching them.

 

Last Friday I added some Coquina Clams I picked out of the surf and Sake and Wasabi each carried one off and tried to open it. Sake gave up within a couple of hours, but Wasabi was at it into the next day and I still sometimes see her all frustrated and she looks like Pinhead with a Rubix cube. <_<

Link to comment
albertthiel
Anyone know the lifespan of pom pom crabs? My male turned up dead last week (no, its not a molt) after about 6 months of doing well and breeding with the female. He was pretty big so I guess old age got him.

 

Not sure Alto but I have seen post by hobbyists who have kept them for more than 3 years but that does not mean of course that they can't live longer ...

 

Interesting question .. but I cannot seem to find an answer to it in the ref books I have or on the net

 

Albert

Link to comment
I want to get a pair of these...they are really incredible.

 

Mated pairs also produce live food for everyone else. Mine are in a 10 gallon. I've heard stories about fights when one is added that doesn't have both anemones, but I just waited until I could get crabs that had both anemones so I don't know anything about this personally.

Link to comment
  • 1 month later...
Not sure Alto but I have seen post by hobbyists who have kept them for more than 3 years but that does not mean of course that they can't live longer ...

 

Interesting question .. but I cannot seem to find an answer to it in the ref books I have or on the net

 

Albert

 

my pom pom crab is at least 5 years old now, going on its 6th... based on when i got it at the LFS. considering what has happened to my 5.5g tank over the years, im convinced this creature is indestructible.

Link to comment
my pom pom crab is at least 5 years old now, going on its 6th... based on when i got it at the LFS. considering what has happened to my 5.5g tank over the years, im convinced this creature is indestructible.

 

Thanks for that info. Interesting ...

 

I appreciate it.

Link to comment

I ordered 2 pom pom crabs from Liveaquaria and received them yesterday. Sadly they had no pom poms upon arrival. Hoping they pick up a mushroom or zoa and carry it around as I have heard they do this sometimes.

 

To my surprise today they were hugging each other. They let go once.. scuttled across the sand and then went back to hugging.

 

Is this some sort of mating behavior? I believe one has eggs. If so, pretty cool I got 2 crabs and they happen to be 1 male 1 female.

 

Also, anyone know if hermit crabs are safe with these guys? I only have 1 hermit but put him in my other tank just in case for now.

Edited by Tamberav
Link to comment

I have several species of hermits with mine and I have had no issues. If anyone gets close to mine he's on the attack with those anemones. Even my emerald crab didn't mess with him.

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...