Is my emerald crab likely dead?

[Dad2Wyatt]

I added an emerald crab (along with a turbo snail who is an expert level hider) 2 days ago to my tank. The crab immediately went under a rock and stayed there for a couple days. Last night after lights out I went back and checked In the hole and it was still there and moving within the hole.

fast forward to walking in just now and there are 2 nassarius snails that are usually on the other side of the tank all over the hole the crab was in with another burrowed in the sand not too far away.

I know these guys will clean up dead stuff so I’m wondering if that’s the case. I don’t want to move them and check just in case it is dead, as I wouldn’t be able to get Into the hole to remove it even if I wanted to.

Ps. I am certain these are nassarius and not whelk. I did have a whelk in the mix but it was purged immediately upon discovery

 

[KrisReef]

Maybe the crab got the turbo snail and the nassarius are trying to pick up the crumbs? These guys always leave the shell or an exoskeleton behind. Don't get fooled by their molts.

 

[Dad2Wyatt]

Maybe the crab got the turbo snail and the nassarius are trying to pick up the crumbs? These guys always leave the shell or an exoskeleton behind. Don't get fooled by their molts.

I actually ended up finding the turbo! He’s still whacking down the hair algae!

unfortunately all 4 of my nassarius have moved to the opening of the rock. 2 are buried just outside, one under the rock, and one looks like it is crawling inside the hole where the crab was.

I suppose it’s possible the crab got ahold of another snail or something, but I’m not holding my breath at this point. Would the exoskeleton be left behind if he was eaten by my snails, or would that get cleaned up as well?

 

[KrisReef]

I don't think the snails would eat the exoskeleton, but everybody loves crab!

 

[Dad2Wyatt]

I don't think the snails would eat the exoskeleton, but everybody loves crab!

Guess I’ll check in the morning! I was particularly attached to this crab… I was attached to the arm&leg my LFS charges for them though so he’s gonna be the last one added for a bit lmaooo

On another note, any thoughts on what may have killed him(if he is dead)? I temp acclimated only. I’ve heard some inverts are sensitive to parameter changes but haven’t had any problems so far. Otherwise my hermits snails and fish are all doing fine

 

[Dad2Wyatt]

Final update on my emerald:

definitely dead. My bumblebee snail has also left the side side of the tank it usually stays on and is now scavenging the hole in the rock. But, in the sand below I see one of the crabs pinchers, with the other hanging out of the hole. Those snails are BRUTAL

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Final update on my emerald:

definitely dead. My bumblebee snail has also left the side side of the tank it usually stays on and is now scavenging the hole in the rock. But, in the sand below I see one of the crabs pinchers, with the other hanging out of the hole. Those snails are BRUTAL

They may be eating it now, but they wouldn't be able to bring down a healthy crab. It most likely died on it's own and now they're cleaning up. Did you drip acclimate the crab?

 

[Dcloser12]

Final update on my emerald:

definitely dead. My bumblebee snail has also left the side side of the tank it usually stays on and is now scavenging the hole in the rock. But, in the sand below I see one of the crabs pinchers, with the other hanging out of the hole. Those snails are BRUTAL

Could have been starvation. They need a good supply of algae or pellets. They dont eat the film algae that snails do.

 

[Dad2Wyatt]

They may be eating it now, but they wouldn't be able to bring down a healthy crab. It most likely died on it's own and now they're cleaning up. Did you drip acclimate the crab?

Agreed! I noticed it turned a pale color between my LFS and the 20 minutes it took me to get home. Wasn’t sure if that was a bad sign or not.

i only temp acclimated. Haven’t had any problems so far but that is the only thing I can think of, unless the crab wasn’t healthy to begin with.

 

[Dad2Wyatt]

Could have been starvation. They need a good supply of algae or pellets. They dont eat the film algae that snails do.

There were multiple crabs and little algae in the tank it came from. My LFS usually does a good job of caring for their stock, but I could see inverts being forgotten about. As for my tank, unfortunately, this guy was at an all you can eat buffet lol

 

[LiveFreeAndReef]

Agreed! I noticed it turned a pale color between my LFS and the 20 minutes it took me to get home. Wasn’t sure if that was a bad sign or not.

i only temp acclimated. Haven’t had any problems so far but that is the only thing I can think of, unless the crab wasn’t healthy to begin with.

I ask because I've had bad experiences with emeralds that weren't drip acclimated for at least 30 minutes. I brought one home once, temp acclimated it and then started dripping it. About 5 minutes later I got a phone call and had to leave the house right away. I decided to just drop the crab in at that point and it almost literally died instantly. Dropped to the bottom of the tank and didn't move. I touched it with tweezers to see if it really was dead, it moved a little but was totally dead when I got back home 45 minutes later

 

[Dad2Wyatt]

I ask because I've had bad experiences with emeralds that weren't drip acclimated for at least 30 minutes. I brought one home once, temp acclimated it and then started dripping it. About 5 minutes later I got a phone call and had to leave the house right away. I decided to just drop the crab in at that point and it almost literally died instantly. Dropped to the bottom of the tank and didn't move. I touched it with tweezers to see if it really was dead, it moved a little but was totally dead when I got back home 45 minutes later

After I made this post I started seeing a lot of people saying emerald crabs were the only invert they drip acclimated. So that definitely could be the case! It made it for a couple days after adding but never came out from the hole.

Not even gonna risk it and drip acclimate next time I add one!

 

[theMeat]

Unless you found your emerald carcass I wouldn’t assume it is dead. I literally never see mine. Maybe once a year when pitch dark

 

[Dad2Wyatt]

Unless you found your emerald carcass I wouldn’t assume it is dead. I literally never see mine. Maybe once a year when pitch dark

I unfortunately saw two sets of pinchers, not connected to a crab. Can’t see into the hole because a snail is still all in there, but I’m assuming I will find the rest of the carcass when I get back home later

 

[SlugSnorter]

Agreed! I noticed it turned a pale color between my LFS and the 20 minutes it took me to get home. Wasn’t sure if that was a bad sign or not.

i only temp acclimated. Haven’t had any problems so far but that is the only thing I can think of, unless the crab wasn’t healthy to begin with.

the crab could have died of illness due to stress of not being properly acclimated, as people have said, it also could have starved. Narccarius snails dont really bother with fighting anything.

 

[Dad2Wyatt]

the crab could have died of illness due to stress of not being properly acclimated, as people have said, it also could have starved. Narccarius snails dont really bother with fighting anything.

Definitely think it was acclimation. I’ve always temp acclimated inverts and dropped. Didn’t think twice about doing the same until I did some research after it was too late smh

 

[KMCA]

you guys are brave. I temp acclaimate overnight (usually because round trip to my prefered shop takes most of the day) and then drip for 3 hours. Double or triple the water before adding anything.
Everything has been happy with that, even my corals opening up within half an hour.