Pompom crabs

[Redbird5]

Last week I bought a pompom crab. The last I saw him was in the bag when I released him into my pico tank. I have been looking for him every day but I swear he went into witness protection. Maybe the sexy shrimp put a hit on him when he entered the aquarium. I figured small crab, small aquarium no problem, but he's disappeared. I guessing this is normal.

 

[edsbeaker]

When have you looked? I believe they are active mainly after lights are out. Maybe try a red flashlight a couple of hours after the tank lights are off. Hoping he is alive and well!

 

[Firefish89]

I love them so much! But they are the worst about hiding. I had one 20 years ago and put in a 120 reef tank. I saw it once again 6 months later when I was looking at my tank with a flash light. I had another one a few years later in a 12 gallon pico tank on my desk at work and saw it regularly. I currently have two of them in a 2.5 gallon pico tank. I only see them occasionally. I can go a week or two at a time without seeing them.

 

[Redbird5]

I wonder if I got a second one if they'd feel more comfortable with each other.

 

[Fossilman06]

Yeah mine hides all the time too. Has her usual spots, usually under the cabage leather. Mine only comes out barely when I target feed. They'll stay hidden extra long when they molt also, they're very vulnerable during that time. Don't get rid of the old exo skeleton, sometime they'll pick at it for nutrition.

 

[Redbird5]

Yeah mine hides all the time too. Has her usual spots, usually under the cabage leather. Mine only comes out barely when I target feed. They'll stay hidden extra long when they molt also, they're very vulnerable during that time. Don't get rid of the old exo skeleton, sometime they'll pick at it for nutrition.

I have shrimp in my big display tank and never get rid of the molt. Usually my urchin winds up wearing it.