sleeping emeralds

hall · 10/22/2008, 03:53 PM

I've had my tank up and running for about 1 year now and everything has been doing great. All the corals are growing and I haven't lost a fish since February. Everything seems happy and comfortable. My emerald crabs look to be a little too comfortable. I've had 3 in the past month fall asleep on their back and never woke up. The hermit crabs seem to still be alive and all the snails are doing fine. The temp. has stayed between 78 and 80 and I also have a grounding probe. I've had those emeralds from the very beginning right after the cycle. Any ideas?

spw4949 · 10/22/2008, 04:19 PM

What are your readings?

Rae C. · 10/22/2008, 04:21 PM

Are they old shells? Their molting shells look very alive, they might be hiding in the rockwork until their new shells harden.

tthnow · 10/22/2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by out
Are they old shells? Their molting shells look very alive, they might be hiding in the rockwork until their new shells harden.

WOW! I never knew that. Good info.

matt 76 · 10/22/2008, 05:04 PM

maybe they didn't have enough food?

Flightpipe · 10/22/2008, 05:07 PM

Molts

tangov559 · 10/22/2008, 05:18 PM

i have the same problem..mines never last more then a year....

tthnow · 10/22/2008, 05:22 PM

Perhaps it starve to death?

stricknine · 10/22/2008, 05:35 PM

from my experience, invertabrates are the first to go if you have water problems. Very sensitive to nitrates, or is it nitrites? One or the other. Hermits are like roaches, they can survive anything if they have a shell and some food.

Any shrimp in the tank? They can be pretty sensitive too.

Saltcity · 10/22/2008, 05:55 PM

I bet its the molt..... First time I saw one I was freakin out, Why did it die???

Best way to tell is get in there and pick it up and see if its a dead crab or just his spare clothes!!

Rae C. · 10/22/2008, 07:30 PM

Don't even need to reach in, just see if there is any clean up crew in the shell. If it's empty, it's molt. If there's a worm, it's dead.

hall · 10/23/2008, 07:52 AM

Now that was some weird stuff right there. When I got home and checked the area where I saw the crab last, he was still there on his back. He's been like that for a couple days. When I went to pull him out with my hand, he started twitching and grabbing on to rocks. That crab has been on his back for 2-3 days and still alive. Anyway, I put him down in my fuge and he is still alive this morning. Of coarse he is once again laying down for nap but trying to wake up and roll over. I think he got sick and had some type of brain issue. I have 2 shrimp in the tank and they are normal. I haven't been feeding very much mysis lately (mostly seaweed) so maybe they are starving. There is no algae on any of the rockwork for the crabs and all the snails are doing great so I ruled out stray voltage. There is plenty of nasty junk down in that refugium to eat so if he gets his head right again, maybe he can have some breakfast when he gets up.

spw4949 · 10/23/2008, 08:14 AM

What are you readings? Ammonia,nitrate,nitrite,ph,salinity,phosphate,etc.....?????

Saltcity · 10/23/2008, 08:35 AM

OHhhhh, your crab has Ataxia Telangiectasia. Its really common in Emerald crabs and is caused by eating too much sand.........

Anyone wanna back me up.....

10/22/2008, 03:53 PM	#1
hall Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gulf Breeze , FL Posts: 16	sleeping emeralds I've had my tank up and running for about 1 year now and everything has been doing great. All the corals are growing and I haven't lost a fish since February. Everything seems happy and comfortable. My emerald crabs look to be a little too comfortable. I've had 3 in the past month fall asleep on their back and never woke up. The hermit crabs seem to still be alive and all the snails are doing fine. The temp. has stayed between 78 and 80 and I also have a grounding probe. I've had those emeralds from the very beginning right after the cycle. Any ideas?

10/22/2008, 04:19 PM	#2
spw4949 Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Albany, N.Y. Posts: 1,594	What are your readings? __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 46 gal bowfront, mixed reef, 2x250W current outer orbit w/4x39W T5 ,10 gal fuge....38 gallon aggressive FOWLR, 10 gallon sump.

10/22/2008, 04:21 PM	#3
Rae C. Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Colorado Posts: 916	Are they old shells? Their molting shells look very alive, they might be hiding in the rockwork until their new shells harden. __________________ Rae C It's 8:30, kids. Turn off the tank and go to bed! Current Tank Info: 65 gal, softies, 1 mandarine, 1 clown

10/22/2008, 05:04 PM	#5
matt 76 Reefing is an addiction! Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 175	maybe they didn't have enough food? __________________ 250 DD starphire, Apex controller, 4 t5s, 2 G5 XR15 Blue ,Geo Kalk reactor, geo 618, 2 MP60QD, Fluval SP6 return pump, Bubble King supermarin 250, Lots of tangs Current Tank Info: 250 DD

10/22/2008, 05:07 PM	#6
Flightpipe Sea Turtles Love Me...... Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Pensacola, FL. Posts: 745	Molts __________________ "Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so." Current Tank Info: 29 BC Reef

10/22/2008, 05:18 PM	#7
tangov559 Moved On Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: 559 California Posts: 259	i have the same problem..mines never last more then a year....

10/22/2008, 05:22 PM	#8
tthnow Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hughson Posts: 513	Perhaps it starve to death?

10/22/2008, 05:35 PM	#9
stricknine Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Up North Posts: 989	from my experience, invertabrates are the first to go if you have water problems. Very sensitive to nitrates, or is it nitrites? One or the other. Hermits are like roaches, they can survive anything if they have a shell and some food. Any shrimp in the tank? They can be pretty sensitive too.

10/22/2008, 05:55 PM	#10
Saltcity Moved On Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 4,297	I bet its the molt..... First time I saw one I was freakin out, Why did it die??? Best way to tell is get in there and pick it up and see if its a dead crab or just his spare clothes!!

10/22/2008, 07:30 PM	#11
Rae C. Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Colorado Posts: 916	Don't even need to reach in, just see if there is any clean up crew in the shell. If it's empty, it's molt. If there's a worm, it's dead. __________________ Rae C It's 8:30, kids. Turn off the tank and go to bed! Current Tank Info: 65 gal, softies, 1 mandarine, 1 clown

10/23/2008, 07:52 AM	#12
hall Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gulf Breeze , FL Posts: 16	Now that was some weird stuff right there. When I got home and checked the area where I saw the crab last, he was still there on his back. He's been like that for a couple days. When I went to pull him out with my hand, he started twitching and grabbing on to rocks. That crab has been on his back for 2-3 days and still alive. Anyway, I put him down in my fuge and he is still alive this morning. Of coarse he is once again laying down for nap but trying to wake up and roll over. I think he got sick and had some type of brain issue. I have 2 shrimp in the tank and they are normal. I haven't been feeding very much mysis lately (mostly seaweed) so maybe they are starving. There is no algae on any of the rockwork for the crabs and all the snails are doing great so I ruled out stray voltage. There is plenty of nasty junk down in that refugium to eat so if he gets his head right again, maybe he can have some breakfast when he gets up.

10/23/2008, 08:14 AM	#13
spw4949 Registered Member. Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Albany, N.Y. Posts: 1,594	What are you readings? Ammonia,nitrate,nitrite,ph,salinity,phosphate,etc.....????? __________________ Steve Current Tank Info: 46 gal bowfront, mixed reef, 2x250W current outer orbit w/4x39W T5 ,10 gal fuge....38 gallon aggressive FOWLR, 10 gallon sump.

10/23/2008, 08:35 AM	#14
Saltcity Moved On Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Missouri Posts: 4,297	OHhhhh, your crab has Ataxia Telangiectasia. Its really common in Emerald crabs and is caused by eating too much sand......... Anyone wanna back me up.....