Toxic crab death = nuke my tank?

[AaronM]

I have a large one of these:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/reefs/guami...es/Image2.html

http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/s16/s16rbz169-175.pdf
Page 3/7, it's 50/50 version of A and C.

I've 180'd on my opinion that these crabs are fun. They're fun to watch, but he's really been p*ssing me off recently.

I think i read that this crab wasn't toxic when it died in a tank, but was toxic when consumed (by whatever). I'm pretty sure i read this, but it was like 1 stumbled apon sentence during a few hrs of looking up...

Does anyone know if it'd nuke my tank if it died in there? I'm asking in reef discusion too.

Cheerz

 

[AaronM]

I was hoping someone in this section would know how this crabs toxin works. I guess not. Mmm hes the biggest problem with my tank ATM.

 

[AaronM]

Yeah baby! Toxins in the tank is N/A. Heres some pics:

 

[AaronM]

Some more:

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

usually

usually

when/if a crab dies it becomes food.

I'm not aware of any crab that would "nuke" an aquarium.

 

[AaronM]

Yes. Thats true.

This crab is toxic, similar to a puffer fish. I was worried that if this crab died during removal it would affect my fish. I know it is toxic for us to eat, i assume toxic for anything to eat, and i worried that if, say crushed, it would be toxic to any fish that glide through its vicera. Perhaps 'nuke' was a little extreme. oops.

Since this cute but destructive little unit has been removed, i guess whether or not it would affect my tank is now irrelevant.

But the pics are cool. Correctly identified i'd say.

Edit: http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/reefs/guamimg/crustacea/xanthidae/index.html
3rd pic

 

[LeslieH]

You're right it's atergatis floridus, the poisonous egg crab. These crabs don't manufacture their own toxins. In nature their primary food is micro-algae which they pick off the rocks, secondary food is small inverts like worms & little crustaceans. The algae contain saxitoxins & other defensive chemicals which are then transferred to the crab. Crabs that are held in aquariums away from their normal food can gradually lose their toxicity. If they've never fed on toxin-containing algae they won't be toxic at all.

 

[AaronM]

Interesting!

Cheerz

 

[xpectnomercy]

Ive had this same exact guy in my setup for over 8 months has grown pretty big since i picked him up as a hitch hiker. Gets a bit aggressive towards the snails and even when u place ur hand on the glass but cool little guy to watch.

 

[AaronM]

Hey, your pics aren't working. can you post the pics again?

Based on my experience i have to advice removal. Mine was fine when the tank was my bros. He spot fed and beefed this crab up. But during the Aaron era, the crab ate a small urchin, did alot of construction working on a rock, i,e. hollowed it out and dug under it, knocked a coral over at least once a week, and the last straw was he kept on and on attacking my 2 fav hitchicker LPS.

Was such a cool crab until he flipped out...