dead crab

[toadfarm]

This morning I found my large emerald crab dead. He seemed healthy and large so not sure.
Question: should I leave it in the tank? I've been dealing with low nitrates and I'm trying to get them up. Lot of mixed reef.

 

[toadfarm]

Btw -24g cube. All counts are in line, except nitrate

 

[WVNed]

Are you sure you didn't find a molt?

 

[toadfarm]

It's heavier and smells horrible. And I can't find the new and improved crab

 

[WVNed]

Does the dead crab have eyes? Molts don't have eyes.

Molts will smell because there is organic matter there and I dont hold live crabs in my hand often so how heavy it is doesnt tell me much.

 

[toadfarm]

Looks like eyes are there

 

[toadfarm]

Is it best to leave it in the tank for others to take care of?

 

[Florida Sunshine]

I would remove it. Particularly if you are battling excess nutrients.

 

[toadfarm]

I'm actually battling a lack of nutrients. I thought leaving him would build them up

 

[WVNed]

It doesn't really matter. Parts of it will be long lived in the tank.

 

[S2G]

I wouldn't leave it. What's your Alk?

 

[WVNed]

It looks like a molt to me. The colored parts of the eye are gone.

 

[toadfarm]

I'm actually battling a lack of nutrients. I thought leaving him would build them up

 

[toadfarm]

Hopefully he turns up.

 

[toadfarm]

I wouldn't leave it. What's your Alk?

Alk is 7.8

 

[OKCorals]

I have no luck with emerald crabs. I put them in the tank, and within a day to a month they become lethargic and eventually die. I'm on my 5th or 6th emerald crab now and I'm just waiting for him to pass at this point. My coral, anemones, snails, hermit crab, and fish are all doing great. Can't keep an emerald crab alive for longer than a month or so. I think the first one I added lasted 24 hours. The next one lasted a week. The next one died when they were pulling it out of the tank at the LFS haha (doesn't really count for me, but whatever). Then I added 4 at once hoping one of them would survive. First one died after about a week. Then a week later another died. Could only find one of the crabs for the next couple weeks then finally spotted the smaller of the two remaining crabs and the next day he was dead too. Thought both crabs were dead so I went to remove the bigger one as well and he started moving around a little bit. They don't seem to move much and they refuse to go on top of the rocks where most of the algae is. They don't ever seem to scavenge any food so I'm wondering if they're just all starving or if something else is killing them? I found bubble algae on two frag plugs, but one was on a frag rack and the other was in the sand so the crabs never made it to them to eat the algae.