Can a Debelius' Reef Lobster breathe outside of water for short time?

aquagirl70 · 09/19/2010, 11:49 AM

Hi all,

I'm about to change the water on my 37 gallon, and have a quick question about Debelius' Reef Lobsters. Mine is currently in "jail" - one of those breeder tanks that hang off the side of the tank. He ate several tank mates for dinner, and I had to take the extreme measure last week. I'm going to change 4 gallons today, but the water level will dip below the lobster.

Will he be ok for the 3-5 minutes it will take me to get the new water in? Can he breathe ok without water? Or do I need to keep the jail cell submerged for the water change. Hope not, because he might escape and he was a pain to catch!

Anyone with thoughts about how he'll do in jail long term, please let me know your input. LFS says it should be fine. I gave him a little cave to hide in and I put his food in an empty clamshell in the jail. He's been eating pellets and frozen clam fine, and his meals are a lot cheaper than starfish, dottybacks and hermits!

shifty51008 · 09/19/2010, 11:52 AM

he will be fine out of water that long, however I would be more worried about being in a 37 gal. tank long term they will get to big for that tank and will eat anything it catches.

aquagirl70 · 09/19/2010, 12:01 PM

Yes, you are right. I bought the overcrowded 37 used but have come to realize I've got to go up to at least a 75 for the good of all the fish. I don't even think I'd put him into the bigger tank though. He'll still eat anything he can get. I may have to get a little tank dedicated just to him. What do you think is the minimum size for the lobster by himself? How about one of those 7 or 8 gallon cubes?

shifty51008 · 09/19/2010, 12:04 PM

I have seen one of those lobsters in a 280 gal tank and it was over a foot long. I would try to trade him for store credit or something else.

aquagirl70 · 09/19/2010, 12:20 PM

Yikes! Seriously? They don't give credit but I don't even want him and no one else should either IMO. The LFS said they wouldn't recommend anyone buying one either, but they would take him off my hands. Sounds like they will grow as big as you'll let them. Guess my jail cell is definitely too small! Thanks for the feedback. Done with the water change, it went fine.

shifty51008 · 09/19/2010, 12:24 PM

good deal on the water change.

yeah we tried so hard to get the lobster out of his tank but it was impossiable without taking out all the rock. I do have a pic somewhere but it really don't show how bit it is in the pic.

09/19/2010, 11:49 AM	#1
aquagirl70 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NY Tri state area, US Posts: 70	Can a Debelius' Reef Lobster breathe outside of water for short time? Hi all, I'm about to change the water on my 37 gallon, and have a quick question about Debelius' Reef Lobsters. Mine is currently in "jail" - one of those breeder tanks that hang off the side of the tank. He ate several tank mates for dinner, and I had to take the extreme measure last week. I'm going to change 4 gallons today, but the water level will dip below the lobster. Will he be ok for the 3-5 minutes it will take me to get the new water in? Can he breathe ok without water? Or do I need to keep the jail cell submerged for the water change. Hope not, because he might escape and he was a pain to catch! Anyone with thoughts about how he'll do in jail long term, please let me know your input. LFS says it should be fine. I gave him a little cave to hide in and I put his food in an empty clamshell in the jail. He's been eating pellets and frozen clam fine, and his meals are a lot cheaper than starfish, dottybacks and hermits!

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09/19/2010, 11:52 AM	#2
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	he will be fine out of water that long, however I would be more worried about being in a 37 gal. tank long term they will get to big for that tank and will eat anything it catches.

09/19/2010, 12:01 PM	#3
aquagirl70 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NY Tri state area, US Posts: 70	Yes, you are right. I bought the overcrowded 37 used but have come to realize I've got to go up to at least a 75 for the good of all the fish. I don't even think I'd put him into the bigger tank though. He'll still eat anything he can get. I may have to get a little tank dedicated just to him. What do you think is the minimum size for the lobster by himself? How about one of those 7 or 8 gallon cubes?

09/19/2010, 12:04 PM	#4
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	I have seen one of those lobsters in a 280 gal tank and it was over a foot long. I would try to trade him for store credit or something else.

09/19/2010, 12:20 PM	#5
aquagirl70 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: NY Tri state area, US Posts: 70	Yikes! Seriously? They don't give credit but I don't even want him and no one else should either IMO. The LFS said they wouldn't recommend anyone buying one either, but they would take him off my hands. Sounds like they will grow as big as you'll let them. Guess my jail cell is definitely too small! Thanks for the feedback. Done with the water change, it went fine.

09/19/2010, 12:24 PM	#6
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	good deal on the water change. yeah we tried so hard to get the lobster out of his tank but it was impossiable without taking out all the rock. I do have a pic somewhere but it really don't show how bit it is in the pic.