Bokser Crab....

[bodangit0024]

Hello everyone, I recently purchased a boxer crab from my most trustworthy LFS. It has only one arm and the one arm has no anemone, will the arm grow back and will it grow its own anemones? How prone are these to hiding? Will a peppermint shrimp, a clownfish, or a regal tang eat these? He hides all day, is that boxer crab nature? Thanks in advance for your help (and patience with a beginner)!

 

[Javeo]

Hmmm, doesnt sound to happy. It will regrow the arm, but it cant produce anemones out of the water. It may start carrying something else, like zoas or something. The boxer is more vulnerable without its anemones and will stay hidden alot more. Mine has both its anems. and is pretty visible all the time. If you can get another boxer crab, then maybe if this one can get one anem, it can propagate a second from that.

 

[bodangit0024]

Ok, I might try that. I'll try to get one with 2 anemones if I go back, will he have to take it or are they, shall we say, friendly? The first day in my tank he molted and I thought I had 2 when I saw the molt!

 

[LeslieH]

It may take a few molts but the arm will grow back. As for the anemone.... a researcher at University of Hawaii, Curt Fielder, found that boxers with only one will force the anemone to split into 2 separate individuals. The boxers retain the anemones after they molt so as long as they are all healthy you shouldn't have to worry.

 

[Javeo]

Leslie, He said that the crab has no anems at all. My thought was that if he added one that had 2 anems the present one would take one from the new crab and then both could split their own anem. is this possible?

 

[LeslieH]

Oops, you're right, I misread B'24s original message. I don't know what would happen if he added a second crab with anemones. It will make a good experiment in inter-perrsonal crab relationships!

 

[Javeo]

I wonder if it would be easier if it was a crab of the opposite sex?

 

[bodangit0024]

Well I talked to the guy at the LFS when I went by today, he said that I have enough lights for an anemone. I didn't buy one today though, I spent $80 on a blue tang and some chems and nutrients. The anemone would be beneficial to the whole tank, the clown would have a host, the boxer crab would be able to snip off trimmings, the anemone would be there...


It would be able to snip off little anemones right? Would it make him less shy?

 

[Javeo]

Oh no, the anems. the crabs use are a particular species that dont need light, and they stay tiny and dont mind being dragged in the sand!
Also your going to have problems with a tang in a 60gal, and only host anemone you can keep under that light will be a BTA.

 

[bodangit0024]

They told me it would be ok, the tang is very small and he said it would grow and conform to the size of my tank.

 

[Javeo]

Marine fish are not like goldfish, they grow to the size their meant to be or suffer from stunting, which can lead to problems. But if its small you'll probably have a bigger tank by the time it gets that big!! Goodluck.

Any luck with a new boxer yet?