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Mixing crustaceans in a bucket
3/12/14
Pom pom crab sex? 5/27/10 Attn: Sara -Lybia tesselata Qs 09/06/08 Hi Sara (or whoever takes this), <Hi Paul :-)> Sara, you've helped me out in the past - Now, I've got (what I believe are) easier questions. I put 2 "Boxing / Pom-Pom" crabs in my tank. They've molted twice, and appear to be doing extremely well. <cool> Here's the question - What kind of anemones are on their claws? and if the crab(s) die will the anemones attach to the rocks and continue to grow? <The anemones are of the genus Bunodeopsis, please see at the way bottom of the page here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/swcrabs.htm I honestly don't know for certain if the anemones could/would survive without the crab. I imagine that the two could get separated (if maybe the transfer during molting does not go so well or if the crab loses a claw). The likely advantages for the anemone (of being on the crab) are 1) opportunity to get food (found by the crab) and 2)mobility (i.e. when the crab runs from a predator, it takes the anemones with it). Thus, in an aquarium, if there are no predators (and plenty of food to go around), I would guess that the anemones might have a chance of surviving without the crab.> Paul <Best, Sara M.>
Pregnant Pom Pom Crab? Stocking errors in small SW volume 4/13/08 Hello, You guys (and girls) rock! I just bought a Pom Pom Crab. I have done a lot of research about them on the web and they looked like a great addition to my nano ten gallon tank, which is currently holding my fire/dart fish, a black Brittlestar, and a sexy anemone shrimp, with a few coral frags. He (or she?) is acclimating right now as I type. When I placed the bag into the tank I could see the little guy a lot better and I noticed a mass of red eggs on the stomach. They look just like the eggs of a glass shrimp, but they are red and a little smaller. I was wondering if indeed they are eggs and if so is there any possibility of me being able to hatch and raise these awesome little guys? <Mmm, yes> I know a lot of crabs go through a free floating "zooplankton"-like phase. <A few actually> Is it the same with the Pom Pom Crab? <A variation on the theme, yes> Also I was wondering about my fire dart fish. <Microdesmids need more room than this... Nemateleotris is a social species...> He used to be in my larger tank with a yellow tang, an ocellaris clown, and a starry dragonet. The ocellaris clown fish picked on him mercilessly over the past week to the point that I pulled him out into my nano tank. It was my belief that the ocellaris clown fish was more peaceful then others in the clown fish family. Is this not true? <Are territorial...> Im I not feeding enough or maybe not the right food (Formula 1 from ocean nutrition)? Thank you for all your help! Sincerely, Michael J. <Mmm, please see WWM re the care of the species you list... you've got some errors to correct. Bob Fenner>
Crab Question, ID Likely a Boxer Crab (Lybia tesselata) 5/13/07 <Hi Jason, Mich here.> I have seen a crab in my tank and it looks like it has feather duster tips for arms and he waves them at his mouth like he is eating stuff. <The "feather dusters" you refer to are likely small anemones in a mutually symbiotic relationship with a Boxer or Pom pom crab.> He has small claws too. Do you know what kind it is? It is maybe a quarter inch in size. <Sounds like a Boxer Crab (Lybia tesselata). A picture here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/crabs/swcrabs.htm and more on Google images. They are generally reef safe, can be fed minced meaty foods and should not be kept with aggressive tankmates. A delightful little addition! Do enjoy!> Thanks for your time. <Welcome! My pleasure to assist. Mich> Jason
Decorator crab with eggs 03/26/07 Hi, I recently read on your forum where a person had small free swimming crustaceans in his tank and he thought they were baby somethings and not copepods (Question of reef babies and Follow up on... were the titles). I was doing this research because my wife believes our own decorator crab to be pregnant. How do I know for sure she is pregnant? She is carrying a pouch inside her folded under tail area with very small red balls in it. <Sounds pregnant to me.> She seems to spend a lot of time 'nursing' them. Are there known breeding techniques for spider crabs. <Not for spider crabs. I'd try breeding them like any other crab. Have a look at http://www.aquahoito.info/sesarma/index.html (thanks to Neale). Different species, but probably similar care, although your crabs will need marine water all the time. > I'm sure that many will be eaten by the tank inhabitants. <They probably all will.> Is there any type of breeding system set up for such occurrences (such as the breeding nets in freshwater setups)? <No, larvae are too small. You need a small extra tank with an air driven sponge filter.> While I do not want a hundred baby spider crabs, seeing a few grow to adult hood would be fascinating. <Not more than a few will likely survive, if at all. Crab larvae are cannibalistic. If you are propagating crabs for the first time, chances for failure are high. I'd try it anyway, you'd learn a lot.> My wife is curious as to how the crab became pregnant as well, we have had her nearly a year and there have been no other decorator crabs coming over to visit. <Some crabs possibly can store sperm for a long time. Had similar experience with a fiddler crab, who was alone for 8 months.> Thanks for your time. I read your forums frequently. Jon. <Enjoy! Cheers, Marco.>
Raising Pom Pom crabs Hello, I would first like to thank you
for compiling all of the information you have collected, it has been
extremely helpful. < Big thanks to Bob on this one. > I have been
in this hobby for ~ 3 years, saltwater (reef) for 2. I have
two tanks a 58 gal. lionfish tank, and a 55 gal. reef, mostly soft
corals (xenia, Shrooms, zoos, etc). My saltwater sweet tooth
is unusual inverts. I have kept 3 Pom Pom crabs (Lybia
tesselata, I believe) for some time. About every 3 months I
will see one of them w/ a large pile of red eggs on her underside
(similar to the picture on your site, http://www.wetwebmedia.com/swcrabreproduction.htm). I
have wanted to try and attempt to raise them but could never catch her
before she released her eggs. Yesterday I was at my LFS, and they had
two Pom Pom crabs for sale which were carrying eggs. I
couldn't resist and purchased them both ($10 a piece, unusually
good price). I set them up in a 10g tank, w/ no substrate, a
sponge filter, and some live rock. Tonight I noticed that
there were free floating/swimming 'dots'. I captured
a couple and took a look at them under a
microscope. AMAZING. What I saw resembled the
Zoeae stage. There is a good picture listed here, http://www.blue-crab.org/lifecycle1.htm, taken of a blue
crab. The Pom Pom zoeae were similar except with a larger
'tassel' and had redder coloring. I was under the
impression that some inverts hatch w/ an 'egg sack' to eat off
of, maybe this is wrong? < That is correct. But it is
certainly a good idea to keep green water growing in their tank and be
adding small rotifers. > Either way I did not witness any such sack.
Knowing that feeding would be the most difficult I had assembled a
number of foods to attempt, including Kent Marine PhytoPlex, Two Little
Fishes PhytoPlan, and Hikari First Bites (all appeared to be
appropriate sized for the expected larvae and on hand from the reef
tank). I am also culturing some live phyto I plan to use,
and eventually live rotifers and baby brine shrimp. <
This sounds perfect, just what I would be recommending. > I placed
some food next to the larvae under the microscope and although I have
not witnessed them eating anything I am seeing evidence of food being
taken in through their translucent bodies. This amazed me as
I have not yet fed any live food to them. I will keep this board
posted. If you have any advice, or anyone has any experience
please let me know. < May want to search breedersresgistry.com and
see if there is more info there. Please do keep us all
posted. Awesome! > Tony Krause
< Blundell >
Lybia tesselata question Hi! Is it true that a pompom boxing crab (Lybia tesselata) is going to eat a starfish and that I have to choose between getting a pompom crab or a starfish (was thinking of a Fromia) in my system? Thanks! Dominique <I suspect Lybia spp. may indeed be opportunistic omnivores as most decapods... but if kept well fed, you're likely facing better then 50:50 odds here. Bob Fenner> Re: more feeding <<JasonC here...>> I also got a Blue Boxer Crab, I could not find much Information about them. Any ideas what they eat. <<just about anything they run into, or that runs into them...>> My LFS said brine shrimp <<that would work. Cheers, J -- >> Pom Crab- A Pom Pom with One Arm? Dear crew of WWM, I would like to thank you again for helping me out with my lighting question I had earlier, but I had bought 2 Pom Pom crabs and they are really fun to find when I get home. Well, any ways, my question is that will crabs regenerate their legs if they are bitten off, and if they do how long do would you say it will take? <Hi, Ryan with you. It depends on the frequency of molting- Regular water changes will help to keep this process regular. They almost always grow back!> Thanks again -Randy |
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