Bulldogger2008
New member
Was told by the LFS that they are scavengers and no need to feed them anything special, any truth to this?
Horse Shoe Crab
- Thread starter Bulldogger2008
- Start date
They really aren't suited for home aquaria. Skip it.
Bulldogger2008
New member
what do you mean by skip it?
Guygettnby
Well-known member
he means dont even bothering buying one as it will perish in the home aqaurium. if you have bought one then give it back to the LFS were you got it.
Bulldogger2008
New member
Her is a funny story. I got a Condylactus Anemone the other day along with 2 cleaner shrimp for my Yellow Tang and 5 minutes after putting the shrimp in the tank, one was dead. The other one is still alive, wondering if the Condylactus is killing the shrimp? So how can the LFS keep the Horse Shoe Alive and I eventuall wont be able to? I asked a lady in there what to feed it and she said nothing but what it finds. I was like huh, I heard mixed stories and she said "mine has been feeding off of bottom stuff for years and it is huge and thriving".
I don't know that I would believe that the LFS can keep them alive, at least not long term.
For that matter, I have seen horse shoe crabs eat frozen mysis shrimp. They have large appetites, and as anyone who has ever seen one on the Atlantic shore can tell you, they grow into those appetites. (Oh, and the Atlantic shore thing should let you know that these are not tropical animals.) I agree w/ everyone here. These are animals best left in the ocean.
For that matter, I have seen horse shoe crabs eat frozen mysis shrimp. They have large appetites, and as anyone who has ever seen one on the Atlantic shore can tell you, they grow into those appetites. (Oh, and the Atlantic shore thing should let you know that these are not tropical animals.) I agree w/ everyone here. These are animals best left in the ocean.
BlastoEric1589
New member
+1 for leaving them in the ocean.
I love those things, they are a cool addition, but in a reef tank they get wedged between two rocks or the sides and they get stuck very easily. ive never fed mine, but hes caught under a rock in the back of my tank and i think hes finally dead. From experience, dont get one unless you have only sand and ALOT of room 8 months from now
I love those things, they are a cool addition, but in a reef tank they get wedged between two rocks or the sides and they get stuck very easily. ive never fed mine, but hes caught under a rock in the back of my tank and i think hes finally dead. From experience, dont get one unless you have only sand and ALOT of room 8 months from now
philter4
New member
They can be kept in a tank long term, just probably not most of our tanks. To keep them you need a lg tank, IMO 300 gal or more, no decor and a deep sand bed for them to dig in. Anything like live rock and or decor would just get in the way. Get a big filter and huge protien skimmer to handle the waste, lighting isn't improtant to them. And they are tropical, the ones here in south FL handle water temps in the 80's with no problem. The question is do you want to devote a huge tank for an animal that will be burried most of its life under the sand. IMO they should be left in the ocean as well, I would geuss that all of the juv's collected die within a few months, they aren't suited for the style of tanks that we all keep.
Guygettnby
Well-known member
^^^^ LOL, i would say more like 1,000++ gallon tank. these thing if kept alive long term get huge. they are best left in the ocean regardless. i admit i even had 1 in my tank at one point in time, beacuse i remember playing with them on the beach when i was a kid. but after seeing how destructive they can be and how hard they are to keep my story changed rather quick.
geffhardy2
New member
I would say that they love to be feed. I would take a feeding stick flip them upside down and give them some krill . Only draw back is that if you have a lot of rock they alwys seem to get stuck all the time
