Keeping Emerald Crabs alive

[SOGavity]

Over the last month I've had two emerald crabs. One ordered through a trusted online retailer and the other I bought at a local LFS. The first one lasted the longest - two weeks. I got the other one the day after the first past and he didn't last any longer than a week. I have many other inverts in my tank who are doing just fine. A few different species of snails, cleaner shrimp, and two brittle stars.

I use RO/DI water, red sea coral pro salt, and currently do not dose anything other than phytoplankton and some ammino acids for croals.

Salinity 1.025
pH 8.4
Alkalinity 157ppm
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 2.2ppm
Phosphates 12ppb

 

[corosato]

are you finding them dead or are they “gone”? Also if you are finding them are you sure they aren’t just a molt. I have 4 in my tank I never see unless I flashlight the tank at night, but I find molts often. I know sometimes it’s hard to tell if they molts is a body or not.

 

[Reef Wizard]

Over the last month I've had two emerald crabs. One ordered through a trusted online retailer and the other I bought at a local LFS. The first one lasted the longest - two weeks. I got the other one the day after the first past and he didn't last any longer than a week. I have many other inverts in my tank who are doing just fine. A few different species of snails, cleaner shrimp, and two brittle stars.

I use RO/DI water, red sea coral pro salt, and currently do not dose anything other than phytoplankton and some ammino acids for croals.

Salinity 1.025
pH 8.4
Alkalinity 157ppm
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 2.2ppm
Phosphates 12ppb

Nutrients are very low so the amount of left over food is likely low. Tank might be TOO clean as they are scavengers

This is IF its not a molt.

Molts generally open from the back dont stink.

 

[Dragen Fiend]

are you finding them dead or are they “gone”? Also if you are finding them are you sure they aren’t just a molt. I have 4 in my tank I never see unless I flashlight the tank at night, but I find molts often. I know sometimes it’s hard to tell if they molts is a body or not.

Yea unless you find their dead body and not a molt. They are likely alive. When I introduced my first one. I saw it all for about 2 hours then never saw it again for a whole week. They blend in very well. Especially in an established tank. Mine like to hide behind the anemone. And this is in a 5G tank so you'd think they would be easy to spot.

 

[littlefoxx]

Over the last month I've had two emerald crabs. One ordered through a trusted online retailer and the other I bought at a local LFS. The first one lasted the longest - two weeks. I got the other one the day after the first past and he didn't last any longer than a week. I have many other inverts in my tank who are doing just fine. A few different species of snails, cleaner shrimp, and two brittle stars.

I use RO/DI water, red sea coral pro salt, and currently do not dose anything other than phytoplankton and some ammino acids for croals.

Salinity 1.025
pH 8.4
Alkalinity 157ppm
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 2.2ppm
Phosphates 12ppb

Do you have Zoas?
Also are they disappearing or do you find the body (or molts maybe)?

 

[SOGavity]

It's not a molt, unfortunately. I tested again today and nitrates are at 6.4... I realized I was testing wrong and not actually waiting the recommended 3 minutes... oops. Same with phosphates this morning at 14ppb.

Do you have Zoas?
Also are they disappearing or do you find the body (or molts maybe)?

Yes, I have zoas. And it's not molts.

are you finding them dead or are they “gone”? Also if you are finding them are you sure they aren’t just a molt. I have 4 in my tank I never see unless I flashlight the tank at night, but I find molts often. I know sometimes it’s hard to tell if they molts is a body or not.

Unfortunately it's the body.

 

[DoupaZzz]

It's not a molt, unfortunately. I tested again today and nitrates are at 6.4... I realized I was testing wrong and not actually waiting the recommended 3 minutes... oops. Same with phosphates this morning at 14ppb.

Yes, I have zoas. And it's not molts.

Unfortunately it's the body.

Maybe food isn't the problem here, your water parameters look fine and emerald crabs are very hardy. There is a chance you didn't properly acclimated them and died to the water change specially if they are on the small side.

 

[littlefoxx]

It's not a molt, unfortunately. I tested again today and nitrates are at 6.4... I realized I was testing wrong and not actually waiting the recommended 3 minutes... oops. Same with phosphates this morning at 14ppb.

Yes, I have zoas. And it's not molts.

Unfortunately it's the body.

When I had zoas I kept finding mine dead. I realized they were picking at the zoas and I realized they were getting a face full of toxins and thats likely what was killing them.

 

[SOGavity]

When I had zoas I kept finding mine dead. I realized they were picking at the zoas and I realized they were getting a face full of toxins and thats likely what was killing them.

I did find the second one dead near the Zoas where it made its home. It didn't really move from that spot.

Maybe food isn't the problem here, your water parameters look fine and emerald crabs are very hardy. There is a chance you didn't properly acclimated them and died to the water change specially if they are on the small side.

I got them for the sake of hair algae. I ended up just tearing down the tank (sort of) and scrubbing the rocks and corals. I had to toss a clove polyp coral because it was being suffocated by hair algae. There was really no way to save it that I knew of.

I won't be getting another crab until I have another algae issue, and probably not an emerald. I have snails which is why I didn't want to get hermit crabs. My tank looks so much better now though.