Lost all of my crustaceans!

R

renman

AC Members
Aug 1, 2004
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Georgetown, TX
www.bigwillys.com
I bought a small Arrow Crab to see if it could remedy the problem with possible Bristle Worms. I have lost a number of snails, shrimp and the like. The Arrow Crab has now been eaten as well as both of my Fire Shrimp and a Banded Coral Shrimp!

I've been told that it's either a Mantis Shrimp or possibly a "Rock Crab"???? Not familiar with the Rock Crab.

I'm not sure what is going on here or what to try?

Any Suggestions?
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What are your calcium levels? And iodine? crabs/shrimp/snails all need iodine and calcium. their exoskeleton (hard outer shell) is made from CaCO3 which is calcium carbonate.
 
Levels have been good. I always have a mineral block in the tank to ensure the 40 or so elements are always present as well as adding iodine, mag., and others in liquid form. All of these animals have been alive for a year now. It's not that they are dying, they are being eaten.
 
Have you seen any remains of the crustaceans?
 
I have found remains (meat) from the Banded Coral Shrimp and one of the Fire Shrimp. The other Fire Shrimp was just the shell. The Arrow Crab was not a molt as it was in pieces as well. They usually come out in tact or close to it. On the Arrow Crab there were 3 legs here, 2 legs there with a piece of the apron. I still have not seen anything at night???? I'm really perplexed at what to look for?

One of the local Marine Aquarium stores suggested not feeding the fish for a day. Then, placing a piece of food at the bottom of the tank well after dark then observing what eats the food with a red light. They think it's either a Mantis Shrimp or "Stone or Rock" (I could have that terminology wrong?) Crab?

Thoughts?
 
renman said:
I'm really perplexed at what to look for?
Click to expand...
Wait a couple of hours after the lights go off at night. Then use a flashlight with a red lens to look around in the tank. Chances are you'll see a lot of life that you don't see in the day, such as worms, crabs, etc. Look for movement, since things can blend in pretty well. I caught this 2 inch crab eating a leather at night and never saw it during the day.
crab_eating.jpg


You can also set a trap using a pickle jar (how I caught the guy above). Put a piece of shrimp in a pickle jar at night and set the jar on a 45 degree angle against some rock work. The crab will climb in to get the food but won't be able to climb out. I think I may have wrapped the shrimp in some cheese cloth and used a sea weed clip to weight it down so it woudln't float out of the jar or a fish wouldn't run off with it.
 
I have never treated the tank for disease or anything like that. Here is my current setup.

55 gal. tank
Pro Clear 75 Wet/Dry Filter
Fluval 303 (strictly used as a pump, no filtering media)
40 lb. Live Rock
2 Percula Clowns
2 Yellow Tail Damsels
2 Blue Damsels
1 Green Damsel
1 Niger Triger
1 Sailfin Tang
1 Cream Angel
1 Fire Angel
1 Long Tentacle Anemone
1 Black Serpent Star
2 Turbo Snails
 
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