After 7 years I finally got my dream crab (Calappa Flammea)

[Stomatopods17]

UPDATE: Crab is still going strong and an eating machine!

I had to redo all my rock work and epoxy it because the crab will literally roll around 5lb pieces of rock like its nothing in search of food until them. This got very concerning for my rock covered in mushrooms and my toadstool leather which was starting to get rocks built up against it and pushing it into my GSP colony. I'm still playing the re-decoration game in spots I didn't get to glue down properly, but the crab is a monster!

Has not affected the head count of anything in my tank (my hermits actually never touch the sand now, its like they know and stick to the rocks), however I found a 5 year old bumble bee snail hidden in the rocks I didn't know still existed! I plucked it out of its spot while I moved the rocks .... and then while placing rocks I heard a "crunch" and seen the crab already crushed and ate it .

 

[((FORDTECH))]

This is pretty cool !!! I would be careful he don’t take one of those rocks and break the tank glass .

 

[ReeferHD]

hows the crab doing now?

 

[Mr_Knightley]

I would also love to know how it's doing! I have always loved Calappa crabs but have never been able to get one.
Another user mentioned Gulfspecimen; until mid 2023 they actually did sell to the public & to LFSs. I had place several orders with them before they shut down public access. Very sad, especially as a loyal customer, and they never answered why they stopped doing public orders.

 

[Stomatopods17]

Still doing great! Surprisingly no new molts since that last time I reported it.

he/she continues to roll rock all over the place but thats an uphill battle I gave up on, does not touch the corals themselves at all, not a single issue there besides well, the rock being tumbled lol.

Only new addition is a small anemone shrimp that lives in my toadstool leather, surprisingly that's been in there a long time as well no issues from the crab. I did have a bubble tip anem that vanished towards the back, it decided to set close to the bottom so inevitability it would be irritated.

I do work more cautiously around it as its gotten braver and followed my hand/scrapper before. I don't think it'd ever aggressively or defensively pinch me but might be used to my hand having food and misjudge. My yellow tang gets very close to it when its walking around and there's no signs of aggressive or interest at all, pretty much just runs side to side all day until fed.

 

[Mr_Knightley]

Still doing great! Surprisingly no new molts since that last time I reported it.

he/she continues to roll rock all over the place but thats an uphill battle I gave up on, does not touch the corals themselves at all, not a single issue there besides well, the rock being tumbled lol.

Only new addition is a small anemone shrimp that lives in my toadstool leather, surprisingly that's been in there a long time as well no issues from the crab. I did have a bubble tip anem that vanished towards the back, it decided to set close to the bottom so inevitability it would be irritated.

I do work more cautiously around it as its gotten braver and followed my hand/scrapper before. I don't think it'd ever aggressively or defensively pinch me but might be used to my hand having food and misjudge. My yellow tang gets very close to it when its walking around and there's no signs of aggressive or interest at all, pretty much just runs side to side all day until fed.

About how big across is she? It's hard to tell the scale from the vid.

 

[AD87]

awesome

 

[Stomatopods17]

About how big across is she? It's hard to tell the scale from the vid.

4 1/2" width

Glass could certainly use a snail or two, but that's on the menu for her and I'm lazy this week.

I used to feed her twice per day, but cut back to once per day and then occasionally skipped a day or two inbetween feedings. At first I was worried about her being super destructive/predatory to the other live stock but over time she/he/it proved it was pretty much peaceful to anything that wasn't a snail or clam. I haven't seen her attack hermit crabs, but I do notice when I had pithos and hermits they always knew to stay on the rocks, i never seen them in the front again but once in awhile see them perched in the back.

 

[rennjidk]

Glass could certainly use a snail or two

Who hurt you?

 

[RockBox13]

A Shameface is such a cool choice and has to be a very unique experience to keep. Really impressive dedication to a dream realized. I still get creeped out by Peacock Mantis. Hopefully people might be inspired to choose something less nightmarish as a Peacock and something sweet like a cute little Reef Lobster or even one of those massive Strawberry hermits.

 

[Stomatopods17]

Sad update; on the day before the eclipse, the box crab attempted a molt and it appeared to have gotten stuck during it. It's shell was even lifted off from the back, but looks like the top carapace piece got stuck around the face and it just passed away.

On easter sunday it refused to eat and starting behaving very lethargic, which was the beginning sign of the molt coming up, oddly it ate the following day very slowly but never again after. It was last seen alive early (around 7 AM) on the day before the eclipse, and when I checked on it at noon I found it in that stuck state seemingly already dead, I left it alone for the next 24 hours just incase but starting to spike ammonia pretty fast and molts shouldn't take more than a hour once started.

Its sad but I don't believe theres much I could do, molts have a high morality rate in crabs in general, especially large ones. If I ever see another available I'll for sure get it, but it was so fun to have and I learned a lot while keeping it.

 

[strich]

A sad end to the story. But man they seemed like a really cool pet! I do wish crabs in general were more viable in a mixed tank than they are currently. Please do keep us posted on future additions!