Is this what I think it is?

[BennyFrank]

<a href="http://s897.photobucket.com/albums/ac180/Benny_Frank/?action=view&current=DSC_3575-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac180/Benny_Frank/DSC_3575-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[jbob]

and that would be?
2 hermit crabs?...yes

 

[BennyFrank]

and that would be?
2 hermit crabs?...yes

Nice detective work Captain Obvious :thumbsup: but I think I found my answer here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/hermitreprofaqs.htm under Marine Hermit crab reproduction methods - 7/28/03 (2nd to last entry on the page)

I just wasn't aware these guys (Paguristes cadenati?) bred readily in captivity. Kind of cool IMO.

 

[lvpd186]

Were you playing a little mood music?

 

[BennyFrank]

Were you playing a little mood music?

Yep, "Let's Stay Together" by Al(gae) Green. :smokin:

 

[jbob]

lol thats awesome! i've seen my switch shells with each other, they do it very quickly! but never get'n it on. how long were they doing it for?

 

[BennyFrank]

It seemed like awhile. I actually have a bunch of shots of the progression of it, kind of made me feel dirty in a way :hmm5:

Here they are spooning afterward...

<a href="http://s897.photobucket.com/albums/ac180/Benny_Frank/?action=view&current=DSC_3579-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i897.photobucket.com/albums/ac180/Benny_Frank/DSC_3579-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[ishmael]

How would you feel if I told you they were two males.........?

 

[roster]

Gross you have been photographing gay crabs:hmm3:, not that I have any problem with gay crabs. I think they can still get married here in Iowa:spin1:

 

[BennyFrank]

When it comes down to the war on algae in my tank the policy is, "don't ask, don't tell".

How would you feel if I told you they were two males.........?

Seriously though? From what I've read the only reliable way to sex them is to locate the gonopores on the underside of the female.

 

[ishmael]

Can crabs get crabs?

 

[BennyFrank]

Alright, I think we've gone far enough with the crab innuendos.

I am interested if anyone has any info/experience with actually rearing these successfully. I know commercially its not cost effective but I think it would be cool to do just for fun (if it's not too labor/cost intensive).

 

[jd474]

I am interested if anyone has any info/experience with actually rearing these successfully. I know commercially its not cost effective but I think it would be cool to do just for fun (if it's not too labor/cost intensive).

Probably too labor intensive, IMO, as is anything involving the culture of live foods (depending on how much time you actually want/have to dedicate). The only inverts I have experience rearing are peppermint shrimp, but I'm assuming they can handle any small food source, which will require separate grow out tank(s), and likely phyto/rotifer/artemia hatches along the way. All of that is assuming you can get the larvae out before your fish eat them, or shredded by pump impellers. Pretty neat that you got a few pics of it, though.

If you're interested in them, peppermint shrimp are very easy to raise. They eat 24 hr. artemia from day 1, require little time to syphon/clean their tanks, and grow fairly quickly.