Pithos crab never leaves the sand?

[BriDroid]

My worthless emerald crab won’t eat my bubble algae, so I bought a Pithos crab last week. All he does is dig in the sand and decorate himself with sand. He also likes to rearrange my button scolys! I need these freeloaders to eat some bubble algae! On the plus side, he’s keeping the sand cleaner than anything else I’ve had in there.

 

[TX_REEF]

mine are the same during the day, they come out to forage and hunt bubble algae at night! I've found the larger ones are more likely to be active during the day.

 

[bluemon]

Mine buries itself all the time, but come out when the lights start to go off. Have you checked it at night?

 

[BriDroid]

I haven't seen him out at night (I assume he since he has the smaller pinchers), but he has only been in for about a week. He just started to get really active so hopefully he starts going out and foraging for bubble algae soon.

 

[JoJosReef]

They are more active at night, but they sometimes go into sloth mode. I don't know if it is fear of predators or if they just go into a dormant state. Mine have been like that before and then suddenly all over the rocks clearing out bubble algae.

 

[BriDroid]

They are more active at night, but they sometimes go into sloth mode. I don't know if it is fear of predators or if they just go into a dormant state. Mine have been like that before and then suddenly all over the rocks clearing out bubble algae.

I think there is a lot for him to eat in the sand right now. He is going crazy eating something. There is a cloud of dust coming from him all the time. Maybe once he cleans that all up he will get hungry and move to the rocks????

 

[JoJosReef]

I think there is a lot for him to eat in the sand right now. He is going crazy eating something. There is a cloud of dust coming from him all the time. Maybe once he cleans that all up he will get hungry and move to the rocks????

They can become lazy sometimes. I had one that recognized me and would run to the glass, belly up to the glass on its hindlegs waving it's little arms up at me to drop it pellets. It was too cute, so I always gave it pellets. That behavior may be partially my fault.

 

[BriDroid]

I just plucked a couple big bubbles off the rocks and gave it to him with some tweezers. He inhaled it!!!! Now he needs to get his lazy butt out of the sand and start working!

 

[ToxicPaly]

He just needs some Xenia on his back to blend in and feel comfortable

 

[BriDroid]

He just needs some Xenia on his back to blend in and feel comfortable

Mine just packs himself with sand??? He is getting more comfortable though. I saw him out yesterday picking algae off the rocks, so there is hope!