horseshoe crab..good or bad?

[kikireef]

I saw a horseshoe crab at the lfs recently. Everytime the owner mixed around the sand it started to burrow almost immediately. I am looking for another good sandsifter besides my nas. snails and my goby. Anybody know anything about these or have any personal experience?

 

[jetblacksdart]

They get large... Up to 2 feet including the tail. I don't know anybody outside of public aquriums that has had long term sucsess.

 

[Grassroots]

bad plan and simple

 

[Tswifty]

Get a Tiger Tail Cucumber

 

[snorvich]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15241663#post15241663 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Grassroots
bad plan and simple

Yup.

 

[calkulon]

Horseshoe crabs have blue blood. Their blood is based on copper. Having a large horseshoe crab die in a small tank is akin to dosing the tank with copper. Of course the size of the crab compaired to the tank depends on ones own perspective and the results may vary. While they do have a certain cool factor, they are a poor choice for a reef tank.

 

[Katmanblue]

Just my two cents from a friend of mine who had one. The crab dislodged a rather large rock formation in the tank from burrowing and cracked the glass when the rocks fell. Luckily the crack was high up and it wasn't a total drain, but he did have to re-tank everything....

 

[terryagi]

I impulse bought a horseshoe crab for my tank (40B). It did a good job moving the sand around and was a very cool addition. However, it only lasted about three months.

 

[Katmanblue]

I think the concensus on the short-lived aspect is that they deplete the avail food supply rather quickly...

 

[rendogg]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15242019#post15242019 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by calkulon
Horseshoe crabs have blue blood. Their blood is based on copper. Having a large horseshoe crab die in a small tank is akin to dosing the tank with copper. Of course the size of the crab compaired to the tank depends on ones own perspective and the results may vary. While they do have a certain cool factor, they are a poor choice for a reef tank.

Very interesting, I didn't know that the blood contains copper, thank you! I just read the same is true for most mollusks.

No offense intended but, I have trouble believing it would be the same as dosing your tank with copper. Do you have evidence, even anecdotal, to support this?

I agree, based on sheer size and propensity to dig into the substrate, bad choice for a reef tank for sure.