Marking this NSFT since it’s always sad to lose a tank friend. 
I received a Calico Box Crab as a hitchhiker on my @LiverockRocks order back in September. At the time of receipt, the crab was the size of a finger nail. Over several months, the crab grew to its current (former) size, nearly 3.5” across.
About three weeks ago, the crab started to act as if it were going to molt. During earlier molting periods, the crab would often reject food, wander around the tank, stretch its body to stand in odd positions, and then at some point scurry off to hide before re-emerging with a new shell.
The crab did all those things this time around, except it never molted. For days on end the crab would stand with its legs fully extended, staring into nothingness. It hardly moved and ceased burying itself at night.
In an act of final desperation, three days ago I moved the crab from the Fish Tank to the Crab Tank (specifications below). The latter tank is home to just three Astrea snails, a Fire Shrimp, a Blue Legged Hermit, and a Blue Neon Goby. In the Fish Tank, the crab was competing for refuge with all manner of snails, cleaner shrimp, hermit crabs, and, well, fish. My thinking was that in this smaller tank, the crab would have fewer other creatures to contend with and so hopefully a greater sense of peace.
Unfortunately, the new home did not seem to alter the crab’s demise. This afternoon, I noticed the crab’s mouth was hung open. Suspended between his mandibles I could see a clear sac of air or fluids; he shows no sign of movement of any sort, even when poked with a pair of tweezers. The pictures below (warning in advance) show the crab in its current state.
I am terribly saddened by this outcome; I just hope the poor thing didn’t suffer. Tank parameters may be higher than most on this forum, but they are stable and have otherwise caused no problems. Again, this crab has been happy, healthy, and growing for the past six months.
My suspicion is that the crab did not have room to complete its latest molt. Unable to find a spacious enough location, the crab’s continued rejection of food starved the crab of essential nutrients until it could no longer sustain itself. I am going to give the crab one more night in the tank to see if by some miracle it recovers from death. If not, I plan to open its carapace to look for signs of any parasites.
If there are any crab experts on these forums, I welcome your feedback. Thanks for reading. May all our former fish and invert friends find some peace.
Parameters can be found here for those who are curious:
“Fish Tank” (25g AIO, MiniQ skimmer)
Temp: 77
P04: .30ppm
NO3: 25 ppm
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 10.9
Salt: Coral pro (no dosing, weekly water change)
“Crab Tank” (5g, HoB Filter)
5 gallon nano
Temp: 78
P04: .015ppm
NO3: 10 ppm
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 11.3
Salt: Coral pro (no dosing, weekly water change)
I received a Calico Box Crab as a hitchhiker on my @LiverockRocks order back in September. At the time of receipt, the crab was the size of a finger nail. Over several months, the crab grew to its current (former) size, nearly 3.5” across.
About three weeks ago, the crab started to act as if it were going to molt. During earlier molting periods, the crab would often reject food, wander around the tank, stretch its body to stand in odd positions, and then at some point scurry off to hide before re-emerging with a new shell.
The crab did all those things this time around, except it never molted. For days on end the crab would stand with its legs fully extended, staring into nothingness. It hardly moved and ceased burying itself at night.
In an act of final desperation, three days ago I moved the crab from the Fish Tank to the Crab Tank (specifications below). The latter tank is home to just three Astrea snails, a Fire Shrimp, a Blue Legged Hermit, and a Blue Neon Goby. In the Fish Tank, the crab was competing for refuge with all manner of snails, cleaner shrimp, hermit crabs, and, well, fish. My thinking was that in this smaller tank, the crab would have fewer other creatures to contend with and so hopefully a greater sense of peace.
Unfortunately, the new home did not seem to alter the crab’s demise. This afternoon, I noticed the crab’s mouth was hung open. Suspended between his mandibles I could see a clear sac of air or fluids; he shows no sign of movement of any sort, even when poked with a pair of tweezers. The pictures below (warning in advance) show the crab in its current state.
I am terribly saddened by this outcome; I just hope the poor thing didn’t suffer. Tank parameters may be higher than most on this forum, but they are stable and have otherwise caused no problems. Again, this crab has been happy, healthy, and growing for the past six months.
My suspicion is that the crab did not have room to complete its latest molt. Unable to find a spacious enough location, the crab’s continued rejection of food starved the crab of essential nutrients until it could no longer sustain itself. I am going to give the crab one more night in the tank to see if by some miracle it recovers from death. If not, I plan to open its carapace to look for signs of any parasites.
If there are any crab experts on these forums, I welcome your feedback. Thanks for reading. May all our former fish and invert friends find some peace.
Parameters can be found here for those who are curious:
“Fish Tank” (25g AIO, MiniQ skimmer)
Temp: 77
P04: .30ppm
NO3: 25 ppm
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 10.9
Salt: Coral pro (no dosing, weekly water change)
“Crab Tank” (5g, HoB Filter)
5 gallon nano
Temp: 78
P04: .015ppm
NO3: 10 ppm
Salinity: 1.025
Alk: 11.3
Salt: Coral pro (no dosing, weekly water change)
