Crabs becoming inactive

[MedcinMn]

I've had my AP 24 set up for nearly 3 months, all my water parameters have been near perfect with the exception of slightly elevated nitrates and phosphate. Yesterday, I noticed my blue legged and scarlet reef hermit crabs seem to be less active than normal. More specifically, today, they've hardly moved at all. I can see they're still alive as I can see their eyes and little antenna thingies going. Anyhow, my readings tonight are Amm 0, pH 8.5, Nitrate <5, Nitrite barely detectable (strange, since my nitrites have always been zero), Ca 410, Phosphate 0.1 - 0.25 (difficult to distinguish with this kit). My nitrites may be due to a couple crabs attacking and eating a turbo snail just after my last water change, Friday???

I do 3 gal water changes weekly w/ ro/di and Instant Ocean that I make myself and ensure my TDS is 0. The 3 fish I have all seem fine, my corals all look good and a Fire Shrimp looks good as well. All are eating and behaving normally. Any ideas about these crabs?

 

[Jordan55]

Crabs are crabs, and they do what they want to do. Are you always on the move and doing things? Or do you sit down once in a while and rest?

Catch my drift?

 

[MedcinMn]

Thanks for the reply. I'm a bad person to ask that as I am always on the move and rarely rest! However, I do understand what you are saying, just seemed strange that they hardly moved in nearly 2 days. Thanks again!

 

[ACBlinky]

Has the temperature in the tank changed lately? Could they be hungry? I spot feed my cleanup crew once a week to make sure they're getting enough to eat; if there's no algae, it's possible a meal would perk them up. OTOH, if it's just a few of them they could be getting ready to moult as well. As Jordan said, they'll do their own thing and sometimes there's no explanation

 

[bluewatr24]

i like to drop a piece of scallp meat in the tank once of month it causes one hell of a feeding frenzy things that u havent seen for a while come out.

 

[midknight]

I would drop the fish that expired in the fresh water tank and watch the feeding frenzy. Give it 10 min and there would be a tiny little fish skeleton floating around.

 

[LaFishLover]

Bluewater, what is scallp meat and where do you buy it?

 

[chocolateblnt]

I have a small army of e-blue's and when they slow down it usually means they will molt ... hopefully you have enough iodine/iodide for them to molt properly.

That guy is talking about scallop meat ... but honestly and sort of shrimp/meat/formula food will bring those suckers to a feeding frenzy