Horseshoe crab in 45 gal.

[Patticakes]

If I put a small horseshoe crab in my 45 gal. aquarium, would it get very large?

 

[jgoodrich71]

These have a horrible record for surviving, so my first answer would be no, it would not live long enough to get big.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

Yes. You cannot stop or slow the growth rate of marine livestock. The speed of growth between juvenile to adult will stay the same. From mature adult to maximum size is more a matter of time. Also, don't underestimate the strength of these guys. They will bury under the sand and/or push rocks around causing avalanches. Unless you are setting a tank up strictly to keep Horseshoe Crabs, they are better off left in the wild.

 

[rustybucket145]

I agree with everyone on the size issue. But I think the mortality rate in aquariums is attributed to their natural food source. In the wild Horseshoes feed almost exclusively on mussels. So in a tank it is imperative to provide this food for them on a regular basis. But to answer your question, yes they will get big (if they live long enough) and if they die your tank will likely be polluted by them rotting under the sand. Plus when you put one in a tank you will be lucky to see it EVER. In nature they burrow under the sand and rarely ever pop up.

 

[bigevill1]

I have kept a small one in my 150 for years. It has molted so I know it is eating something, and I havent fed it anything just for it. It would some times be months between sightings though.

 

[boomsticks]

I also have had one for about 10 months now. He even surrvied a tank crash when we lost power for two days and everything else died. I did put in a sandbed in the new tank and hardley ever see him. Although he is a very good cleaner and keeps the sand arreated (think I spelled that right?)