Horseshoe Crab

[Mr. Fish]

I saw a horseshoe crab at a LFS and fell in love with it. Does anyone have one or know anything about them?

Thanks

 

[Crustman]

Not really suited for aquariums; need open sand beaches and grow over 1 foot. Would overturn your sand bottom and get stuck in rockwork.

 

[greenbean36191]

And to say that they're really not suited to aquariums is an understatement. They're not at all suited to home aquariums.

They feed on mostly worms and mollusks that live in the sand and they can only feed while they're actually walking. As a result, it takes a very large, well-established sandbed just to produce enough food and browsing room for even a small one. As they grow, it would take a tank of literally several thousand gallons to keep them since as Tom pointed out, they get over a foot long. Of course, in captivity they're usually going through the long process of starving to death, so it's rare to see more than an inch or so of growth before they die.

 

[Guygettnby]

i agree with greenbean entirely here. this is one thing that should have never been taken out of the ocean to even be in the LFS. i see them all the time in LFS and here some LFS workers tell others they are perfect for a reef tank :lol:

 

[mcdonaldjosh7]

i agree with greenbean entirely here. this is one thing that should have never been taken out of the ocean to even be in the LFS. i see them all the time in LFS and here some LFS workers tell others they are perfect for a reef tank :lol:

Thats cuz no local fish stores know what they are talking abuot. I swear one of my hobbies is too hang out in LFS's and give all the customers the CORRECT information.

'That tank is filled with aiptasia, which will eat all your corals. Notice all the tanks are plumbed together? That means everything here is probably infected with aiptasia. I wouldn't buy anything from here'

Haha

 

[mcdonaldjosh7]

But I have always wanted one also, but I refuse to buy one because, as stated earlier, they never should have been removed from the ocean.

 

[All Delight]

My lfs told me to get one for my 40 gallon. lol

 

[R_Hudson]

Great information. That will let me know what decision to make. I think I'll leave them to the professionals and the ocean. I've seen them in the Oklahoma aquarium but never in personal tanks. I guess this is why.

 

[Paul B]

I can collect baby horseshoe crabs by the hundreds but I do not because they live on very muddy bottoms where there is an abundance of life on which to fed on. They will not live in a reef. They are not even tropical.

 

[gp2]

I can collect baby horseshoe crabs by the hundreds but I do not because they live on very muddy bottoms where there is an abundance of life on which to fed on. They will not live in a reef. They are not even tropical.

damn the torpedoes, Bought 2 of these from one of those sites that sell cleaner crews!! Oh well, they are doing pretty good right now. :sad1: Should have searched here before adding to the cart. I will bring them to the ocean over the Christmas break....

 

[AJSTITAN14]

damn the torpedoes, Bought 2 of these from one of those sites that sell cleaner crews!! Oh well, they are doing pretty good right now. :sad1: Should have searched here before adding to the cart. I will bring them to the ocean over the Christmas break....

Please do not put anything from a home reef tank back in the ocean. You can possibly introduce non-native invasive species of parasites etc... They will just have to ride it out in your tank unless you can find an institution that will take them.

 

[gp2]

Please do not put anything from a home reef tank back in the ocean. You can possibly introduce non-native invasive species of parasites etc... They will just have to ride it out in your tank unless you can find an institution that will take them.

Really?? They are an Atlantic species, I live on the Atlantic. We have a large amount of invasive species kicking heck out of the environment here in Florida so I would never want to contribute to that. I guess there could be some sort of parasite, but that seems pretty unlikely. Regardless, they are in my tank for now, and I am burying food in the sand for them..