horseshoe crab

stuccodude · 04/17/2008, 06:42 PM

my wife seen one today and wanted to buy it, i googled him but did not find any info if they are reef safe and the LFS sells whatever to whoever. this store has the best livestock in our town but they had me stock my tank in 24 hrs of set up not to mention selling me a dragonett with a week old tank. this was before i found this site( THANKS PEEPS).

bertoni · 04/17/2008, 06:43 PM

Horseshoe crabs aren't a good choice for our tanks. They are temperate water species, and get large and make a mess. Growing one would take a very large, special-purpose setup.

stuccodude · 04/17/2008, 06:50 PM

thanks bertoni, i did read they grow really big. makes me wonder why this store carries them.

super stooge · 04/17/2008, 06:57 PM

so they can hopefully sell them before they get that big, then its sum1 elses problem. they are pretty cool looking tho

Echo'sMom · 04/17/2008, 07:05 PM

Hubby bought a horseshoe crab, about 1" big, a little over 2 months ago. Told him not do it. He did it. We enjoyed watching him in the 125g for 1 night. He kept getting stuck in all the rock. I was really concerned about him. Next morning he was gone. Didn't see him again for 2 months. I thought for sure he had gotten stuck and died. Last week lo and behold there he was, but he was really slow. Saw him a couple of hours and he disappeared again. Haven't seen him since. Poor thing

D to the P · 04/17/2008, 07:14 PM

no echo'smom they just go into the sand bed for very extended periods of time. And that is their selling point, they mix up the sand bed well. I'm not sure why they are still available in the aquarium trade, short answer is because people will buy it. just add it to the list of other things that shouldn't be in our tanks like most nudibranchs.

pledosophy · 04/17/2008, 07:48 PM

I would list them as not being reef safe as well. Not because they will eat the corals but cuz they will crawl all over the rock and knock them over or break them. JME

martinfaimly · 04/17/2008, 07:49 PM

i had one for 9 months. son found it at beach, was about 1.5 inches in diameter. only doubled in size in 9 months. then my crab hhhad him for snack. if we get another chance to get one from beach it will go in tank till it gets tooo big if it last that long. oh and son loves to bring home a sand flea every beach trip. makes good star fish snack.

ROB2005 · 04/17/2008, 10:41 PM

Meh, those crabs are best left out in the wild where they can handle their business better, to me I saw them more of a nuisance than a help.

04/17/2008, 06:42 PM	#1
stuccodude Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: sanger Posts: 1,040	horseshoe crab my wife seen one today and wanted to buy it, i googled him but did not find any info if they are reef safe and the LFS sells whatever to whoever. this store has the best livestock in our town but they had me stock my tank in 24 hrs of set up not to mention selling me a dragonett with a week old tank. this was before i found this site( THANKS PEEPS). __________________ fear the wrath of patrick willis!!! no offense is safe. Current Tank Info: 240 all the goodies,hydra 26 led lights, chiller etc

04/17/2008, 06:43 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Horseshoe crabs aren't a good choice for our tanks. They are temperate water species, and get large and make a mess. Growing one would take a very large, special-purpose setup. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

04/17/2008, 06:50 PM	#3
stuccodude Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: sanger Posts: 1,040	thanks bertoni, i did read they grow really big. makes me wonder why this store carries them. __________________ fear the wrath of patrick willis!!! no offense is safe. Current Tank Info: 240 all the goodies,hydra 26 led lights, chiller etc

04/17/2008, 06:57 PM	#4
super stooge Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: sydney australia Posts: 529	so they can hopefully sell them before they get that big, then its sum1 elses problem. they are pretty cool looking tho __________________ Dean A 240g + sump office tank Salty Sense YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMMGmajiuOnA3ntKDPkGEqQ

04/17/2008, 07:14 PM	#6
D to the P Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Amishville, USA Posts: 2,047	no echo'smom they just go into the sand bed for very extended periods of time. And that is their selling point, they mix up the sand bed well. I'm not sure why they are still available in the aquarium trade, short answer is because people will buy it. just add it to the list of other things that shouldn't be in our tanks like most nudibranchs. __________________ Nature V.S. Nurture: Nature Always Wins. Current Tank Info: 12 gallon Aquapod reef with LED's, multiple nano's at work.

04/17/2008, 07:05 PM	#5
Echo'sMom Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: In My House Posts: 60	Hubby bought a horseshoe crab, about 1" big, a little over 2 months ago. Told him not do it. He did it. We enjoyed watching him in the 125g for 1 night. He kept getting stuck in all the rock. I was really concerned about him. Next morning he was gone. Didn't see him again for 2 months. I thought for sure he had gotten stuck and died. Last week lo and behold there he was, but he was really slow. Saw him a couple of hours and he disappeared again. Haven't seen him since. Poor thing

04/17/2008, 07:48 PM	#7
pledosophy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Beaverton Posts: 5,290	I would list them as not being reef safe as well. Not because they will eat the corals but cuz they will crawl all over the rock and knock them over or break them. JME __________________ 120g mixed reef 90g QT

04/17/2008, 07:49 PM	#8
martinfaimly Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: marydel Posts: 77	i had one for 9 months. son found it at beach, was about 1.5 inches in diameter. only doubled in size in 9 months. then my crab hhhad him for snack. if we get another chance to get one from beach it will go in tank till it gets tooo big if it last that long. oh and son loves to bring home a sand flea every beach trip. makes good star fish snack. __________________ hobby turned obsession Current Tank Info: 90 gal,

04/17/2008, 10:41 PM	#9
ROB2005 Reefing Is My Passion! Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 719	Meh, those crabs are best left out in the wild where they can handle their business better, to me I saw them more of a nuisance than a help. __________________ If at first you don't succeed at reefing, break it down and set back up😁 Current Tank Info: 75 gallon corner overflow, 4-54W T-5 , dozen blue hermits, tiger pistol/yellow watchman goby, royal gramma, banghai and pajama cardinals