My crabs are dying!

Cesar333 · 09/11/2006, 02:54 PM

last week i purchased about 20 blue legged crabs to help stir up the sand bed alittle, about 2 days later, they completely devoured my chromis but thats another story, now, most of my crabs have died or are in the process of dying. they seem to be leaving their shell before they die. any idea of whats causing this? all readings are 0 but ph is a tad low, around 7.8. temp is 80.

STEELERFAN747 · 09/11/2006, 03:26 PM

Im going out on a limb here, but double check your levels. Crabs will not swim after your fish and chromis just dont come down and allow themselves to be eaten. I would feel they died and were eaten and now your crabs are dying. (jmo)

r00onmac · 09/11/2006, 03:38 PM

cehck to make sure they arent just shedding their skins.. i thought i had 2 die shortly after i got them into my tank and they were just sheddings... its hard to tell with crabs so small but i only bought 6 and i still have 6 in my tank even after seeing 2 "dead" ones...

JeffersonReef · 09/11/2006, 04:20 PM

be glad they are dying. My hermits keep killing off my snails. Let them all die, and then get more snails. Nas-snails are good for stirring up the sand, and you dont have to worry about them killing anything!

If you want to figure out why they are dying (if they are indeed dying and not just shedding), invest in a good test kit. Inverts are very sensitive to changes in PH, salinity, etc. HTH!

Cesar333 · 09/11/2006, 04:48 PM

well all of my 10 snails are fine and munching away. the issue with the chromis was when i turn off the lights at night, both of my chromis get disoriented and just swim to the bottom, when the lights go back on, they pause and swim to the top. i suspect that with a crab, or my cleaner shrimp got a hold of him. thats the only explanation. Im using saltwater master liquid test kit by aquarium pharmaceuticals if that helps.

09/11/2006, 02:54 PM	#1
Cesar333 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 19	My crabs are dying! last week i purchased about 20 blue legged crabs to help stir up the sand bed alittle, about 2 days later, they completely devoured my chromis but thats another story, now, most of my crabs have died or are in the process of dying. they seem to be leaving their shell before they die. any idea of whats causing this? all readings are 0 but ph is a tad low, around 7.8. temp is 80.

09/11/2006, 03:26 PM	#2
STEELERFAN747 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Miami Fl. Posts: 1,252	Im going out on a limb here, but double check your levels. Crabs will not swim after your fish and chromis just dont come down and allow themselves to be eaten. I would feel they died and were eaten and now your crabs are dying. (jmo) __________________ First they said "practice makes perfect", then they told me "nobody's perfect", so I just stopped practicing. Current Tank Info: 46g, 22" rimless starphire ReefSavvy cube, Speedwave DC 790 return pump, Custom acrylic sump/fuge, set of Tunze 6055 PH's with multi controller 7095, Cadlights PLS-100 skimmer, Apex controller, Tunze osmolator & Maxspect Razor 120w led light fixture

09/11/2006, 03:38 PM	#3
r00onmac DVM in training Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 1,161	cehck to make sure they arent just shedding their skins.. i thought i had 2 die shortly after i got them into my tank and they were just sheddings... its hard to tell with crabs so small but i only bought 6 and i still have 6 in my tank even after seeing 2 "dead" ones... __________________ Matthew Current Tank Info: 55 display with 20L sump

09/11/2006, 04:20 PM	#4
JeffersonReef Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: May 2006 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 1,698	be glad they are dying. My hermits keep killing off my snails. Let them all die, and then get more snails. Nas-snails are good for stirring up the sand, and you dont have to worry about them killing anything! If you want to figure out why they are dying (if they are indeed dying and not just shedding), invest in a good test kit. Inverts are very sensitive to changes in PH, salinity, etc. HTH!

09/11/2006, 04:48 PM	#5
Cesar333 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 19	well all of my 10 snails are fine and munching away. the issue with the chromis was when i turn off the lights at night, both of my chromis get disoriented and just swim to the bottom, when the lights go back on, they pause and swim to the top. i suspect that with a crab, or my cleaner shrimp got a hold of him. thats the only explanation. Im using saltwater master liquid test kit by aquarium pharmaceuticals if that helps.