Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
They get really big and bulldoze rock/corals.
Crab ID please.
- Thread starter jerseypete
- Start date
Maybe you could ask around a bit, or post on here. I bet somebody would like him, even if your LFS won't take him.
And they aren't very active. I've seen adult ones live in a large gap between boulders and seemingly never leave. Also, crabs generally have a fairly low bio-load.
And they aren't very active. I've seen adult ones live in a large gap between boulders and seemingly never leave. Also, crabs generally have a fairly low bio-load.
jerseypete
New member
No hes not that active. The only time i see him really is 4 am when i get up for work. He trained to wait for his krill in the morning. Its just hes got great water conditions fed well. Hes getting big fast. Maybe i will try and post. If i can keep him till summer im only 30 min from the ocean. Ill take him to the bay and release him
jerseypete
New member
I think the ocean is big enough that a blue crab wont hurt. They dump toxic waste in it every day.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Nope he's right.
Releasing livestock into unfamiliar waters could introduce invasive parasites and bacteria from other fish/liverock from different areas of the ocean.
It's also illegal. Big fine.
and dumping toxic waste isn't a good excuse either consituring that reefs ARE being damaged as a result..
jerseypete
New member
I could see a lake. Not releasing a fish. Invert. Macro algea. But the ocean. One crab. Your kidding me. Hes been in my tank for 2 months and everything is fine. I know what your saying but think its overkill.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
They said the same about lionfish and crown of thorns. They're devastating reefs now in other waters.
Like I said, it's illegal which right there should be a big no no.
Your options are to donate it to an LFS or public aquarium or to keep it.
jerseypete
New member
Its a blue crab. Im in new jersey. The bay is loaded with them.
jerseypete
New member
Im one for growing my own food. But he seems like a pet to me now. Will see how it turns out. Hes staying put for now
jerseypete
New member
No lid. I know he can get out but seems to be content where he is. Yea my thought is when he gets bigger. My wife finding an 8in crab crawling across the floor with the dog barking like crazy at it. LOL
jerseypete
New member
gnasher
New member
Please don't release him into the local waters. Even if his species is plentiful around there, many of the things you keep him with are not. For that reason, it is never a good idea to reintroduce an animal that has been kept in a tank to the wild, even into same waters it was collected from. No one that causes damage by doing things like this ever thinks it will be a problem, nor do they intend for it to, but it happens. It happens in ways that can be difficult to predict beforehand, and even more difficult to fix. If you do it, will it cause any harm? Probably not, but why would you risk it?
That aside, If he came in on material from a tropical area, its not certain he'd survive in Jersey temp waters. Being the same species as those that live in a given area doesn't imply that he'd survive in those conditions. My understanding is that where they "grew up" also has an effect on their tolerances.
That aside, If he came in on material from a tropical area, its not certain he'd survive in Jersey temp waters. Being the same species as those that live in a given area doesn't imply that he'd survive in those conditions. My understanding is that where they "grew up" also has an effect on their tolerances.
jerseypete
New member
So what do i do when he gets to big for my fuge. I didnt choose him for my tank. He came in probably on the macro algea in my fuge. I cant keep a full size blue crab in fuge. I know lfs wont take him. I figured i let him go in the spring and it would give him time to acclimate. A blue crab is not something really for the home aquarium. You cant keep him with anything else. I dont know what to do with him. Put him down. I figured i give him a chance. Blue crabs are plentyful in new jersey. If he had some disease dont you think my fish in the tank would be sick. I dont know just a question.its not like its a non-native species. The fish in peoples tanks come from all over the world. We quarentine hoping not to introduce a sick fish in our tanks. So seems like my fuge is a long quar. For him. Its just this crab is likely to get 7-8 inches point to point. So is it likely he has a disease that will descimate the local blue crab population. Absolutly not. There are 1000s of blue crabs here. Maybe he wont survive the cooler waters. But if i wait till late spring he has a shot. If not whats the alternative. Me putting him out of his misery.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
Give him to a public aquarium. He hitchhiked in your live rock (btw it not even the same species as found in jersey just same genus callinectes) and now he's your problem. See if the lfs will take him anyway if not go to a public aquarium or keep him.
gnasher
New member
I think there are plenty of people who would be interested in keeping a crab like that. I certainly would if I had room. There are two ways I can think of to get him to a good home. You can advertize with a local reef club if you've got one, there's at least going to be a regional subforum somewhere on here you can post on. The other option is to give him to a local fish store. Most fish stores have at least one tank that's appropriate for housing a crab, and it would give others who might be interested an opportunity to see him.
Edit: Just saw you said your lfs wouldn't take him. Sorry to hear that, Is there only one in your area? In the meantime, don't feed him too much. The more he eats, the faster he'll grow.
Edit: Just saw you said your lfs wouldn't take him. Sorry to hear that, Is there only one in your area? In the meantime, don't feed him too much. The more he eats, the faster he'll grow.
