emerald crabs keep dying

[unkel j]

I can't seem to keep emerald crabs alive. They always disapear or I find them
dead. I don't think it is a molt because its not compleatly hollow. I do acclimate them slowly. I've bought 4 in the last 6 months and I don't think I have any right now. My tank is covered with bubble algae (beond manual removal) and I dont know what else to do. Its driving me crazy! A little is ok but this is too much. Do they really even eat bubble algae?
The tanks been runing for about 1.25 years


Equipment:
29g tank w/small bult in sump
aqua-c remora pro skimmer
3g hob fuge w/cheato
phos/carbon reactors
2 nano power heads plus return pump
2 65w pc bulbs
ato w/kalk


Livestock:
1 clown fish
1 fire fish
1 mandarin fish
1 feather duster
1 hermit crab
1 turbo snail
a few nps
a few lps
lots of softies
a couple sponges
lots of live rock
large hitchhiker cuc

Perameters:
ammonia-0
nitrite-0
nitrate-undetectable
phosphate-undetectable
calcium-440
mag-1390
s.g.-1.025
ph-8.1
dkh-8.6 (I know thats low it's a constant battle)

Thanks

 

[bobbychullo]

i do not believe your alk/dkh is low. normal oceanic levels are 7-8.

how are you acclimating specifically? are they dying within 24 hours of being introduced or are they lasting longer?

 

[unkel j]

Thanks for the reply. I thought I read that alk should be at 12. I acclimate for 15 to 30 minutes by floating the bag and adding about .25 - .5 cups of aquarium water every few minutes. They live around 2-4 weeks. One lasted about 2-3 months.

 

[mndfreeze]

Maybe try the drip acclimation method instead of manual water adding for a more constant gradual shift.

Have you had *ANY* other issues with *ANY* other inverts at all since the crab issue started?

 

[bobbychullo]

Maybe try the drip acclimation method instead of manual water adding for a more constant gradual shift.

Have you had *ANY* other issues with *ANY* other inverts at all since the crab issue started?

+1

any other invert issues, shrimp etc?

a one or two hour drip acclimation may ease the stress on introduction. i've read certain inverts can be very sensitive to acclimation too quickly.

i have yet to try it but i will be drip acclimating an emerald crab hopefully within the next month if i can get some time off of work...

 

[mndfreeze]

Yeah, I think thats an important key factor. Usually when something is off and things are dying, there is a global tank effect. If its JUST one thing and only every one thing and everything else for sure, 100%, is kicking arse and taking names in your tank health wise then maybe you have a a hidden predator like a mantis.

A smasher mantis would make short work of all crabs pretty much if its big enough compared to the crabs size. And emeralds are pretty small.

 

[maximo801]

i need help to my nails and crabs keep dying with in 2 days. ive tested for amonia ph is 8 nitrate and nitrite and every thing checks out. i have also used the drip method.

 

[mndfreeze]

How old is the system.

When did the problem start, from the beginning, or just recent.

What changes have been made to the system around the time the problem started (around can be a pretty wide date range)

Did you add any large rocks, or anything at all that a predator could have hitched in on. Say, a Mantis shrimp, some sort of snail or crab killing snail or worm. Etc.

If you are SURE your water is fine, you use RO/DI. Your numbers check out. Its always ONLY very specific animals or animal 'types' i.e. fish that sleep on the bottom at night, or always crabs and snails. Just snails, etc. Those sorts of things usually point to a predator of some sort in your system. A small mantis can go sight unseen for years buried in a cavity in the back of your rock, picking off your snails and crabs when hes hungry. Or eating leftover food tidbits from your fish. Some are super super shy and near impossible to see.

There are flatworms that just kill snails, some that kill clams, etc.

 

[unkel j]

I have had one other invert (that I know of) die. A large feather duster. He was wiggling around half way out of his tube for a few days then just stoped moving. He had been in the tank for 2-3 weeks before he started doing that. I have another feather duster that seems to do great. He has been in the tank for 3-4 months (knock on wood).

From now on I will try drip acclimating and taking a little more time. I need to try again soon. Is there anything else that eats bubble algae?

 

[unkel j]

Also, two of my fish sleep on the ground. I have seen some flat worms in there, they mainly live on the mushrooms.

 

[merkurmaniac]

I wonder if you have a worm or mantis shrimp that is whooping up on your emerald crabs.... I love mine. He is constantly working on something. No problems yet. Been at least a year +