Emerald Crab Enemies?

[Blackhawk708]

Anyone know of anything that would kill an emerald crab? CB shrimp maybe? I had two suddenly go missing a while back, saw my urchin eating part of the shell one morning.. I went back and bought a much larger one this time around, bigger than my CB, but within a week I see claws and shells laying about the sand. Was hoping it was just molting, but I haven't seen him anywhere in the past few days...

I like having a bunch of different little critters crawling around the tank, so I really like having some docile crabs in there with the fish, shrimp and hermits...

 

[J. Montgomery]

To have emerald crabs popping up dead isn't all that unusual, it doesn't necessarily mean something killed it.

 

[650-IS350]

ya sure it wasn't the MOLT?

 

[Blackhawk708]

Yeah pretty sure it wasn't, been a week or two, and this guy was huge, not a lot of area to hide

 

[Flippers4pups]

"I like having a bunch of different little critters crawling around the tank, so I really like having some docile crabs in there with the fish, shrimp and hermits... "

Well, mine got so big that they decided to attack my two blue green cromis while they were sleeping in my LR and have themselves a late night sushi snack. In the sump they went.

 

[DoubleM 10]

what are the fish you have?

and CB are oprtunistic hunters so if they saw a weakness they will pounce

 

[BEASTIEPENDENT]

If the eyestalks were empty then it was the exuvia. If the eyes were filled then it was the crab.

Stomatopods and octopus are the first enemies of true crabs. Other crabs are the next one, and many fishes also.

And: If there isn't much place to hide for the crab then it will be killed by anythgin else in the tank when it molts because it is soft after the molting and needs time (some hours up to a week depending on size, environment conditions and species) to harden.