Emerald Crab eat Cleaner Shrimps?

RaymondL

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This morning I notice one of my Skunk Cleaner Shrimps gone....looked closely and saw a blue emerald crab munch away at it. Is this a common thing for such crabs to be predatory to shrimps? I'm going to move my other shrimp out just in case - I think
 

Mr. Mojo Rising

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Although I supose it can happen, I usually doubt when I hear about crabs catching and killing fish and shrimp, its so unlikely. Crabs move super slow, and fish or shrimp can easily out run any crab.
 

Jedi1199

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This morning I notice one of my Skunk Cleaner Shrimps gone....looked closely and saw a blue emerald crab munch away at it. Is this a common thing for such crabs to be predatory to shrimps? I'm going to move my other shrimp out just in case - I think

Are you sure it was eating the shrimp and not the shell? If the shrimp just molted, which usually happens at night, it may be hiding somewhere till its new shell hardens.
 
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RaymondL

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Well, this is not a good scenario - my salinity between my 2 tanks is 0.0006 difference, and the temperatures are identical, so I thought I wouldn't have a problem if I just transferred over the remaining shrimp into the other tank, which was 1.0264 versus 1.0258 from the original tank I think I made a rookie move by thinking this? Anyhow, I feel absolutely terrible that I am responsible for this - I thought of drip acclimating, but perhaps laziness got the better of me. Question is would this slight salinity difference be enough to cause the shrimp to pass?

Want to learn from this, so any feedback appreciated. Thanks

P.S. I did notice that when I had the 2 shrimps on the original tank in the past 2 days since I got them over a week ago, their activity decreased big time.....something about the water I guess.
 
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RaymondL

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Although I supose it can happen, I usually doubt when I hear about crabs catching and killing fish and shrimp, its so unlikely. Crabs move super slow, and fish or shrimp can easily out run any crab.
Thanks - please see my latest post on this thread. I think maybe the shrimp wasn't doing so well - it's been over a week and a day old
 

Jedi1199

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Well, this is not a good scenario - my salinity between my 2 tanks is 0.0006 difference, and the temperatures are identical, so I thought I wouldn't have a problem if I just transferred over the remaining shrimp into the other tank, which was 1.0264 versus 1.0258 from the original tank I think I made a rookie move by thinking this? Anyhow, I feel absolutely terrible that I am responsible for this - I thought of drip acclimating, but perhaps laziness got the better of me. Question is would this slight salinity difference be enough to cause the shrimp to pass?

Want to learn from this, so any feedback appreciated. Thanks

P.S. I did notice that when I had the 2 shrimps on the original tank in the past 2 days since I got them over a week ago, their activity decreased big time.....something about the water I guess.


I have never drip acclimated any shrimp ever. Never lost one to a transfer. You can sleep easy on that one.
 
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RaymondL

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PH difference?
Checked and same.....so that's not it. I don't know what happened - as posted both shrimp were displaying lethargic symptoms prior....perhaps one died overnight and the crab got it, or it was so weak that the crab got it in it's claws before it could swim away.
 
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RaymondL

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I have never drip acclimated any shrimp ever. Never lost one to a transfer. You can sleep easy on that one.
Thanks for the assurance. Not sure what the issue was - the shrimp passed within 5 minutes or so.
 

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I have emerald crabs that are and 1.5 inches across in with shrimp and they do not bother them. The crab most likely is just getting a free meal and was never a threat to live shrimp.
 

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I have emerald crabs that are and 1.5 inches across in with shrimp and they do not bother them. The crab most likely is just getting a free meal and was never a threat to live shrimp.
Dead shrimp = upgrade (insofar as crabs are concerned).
 

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