Horseshoe Crab

[Lynden]

I have had a horseshoe crab as a sand sifter ever since my tank was done cycling. But lately, its been looking a little smaller. I think it may be hungry.... I cannot even locate the animal's mouth.
I know a fair amount about them, but could you guys tell me the stuff you know about them? It would help alot.


Thanks

 

[Riley]

I found a picture on the net that might help you out l
V

 

[Opcn]

do you know how big horeshoe crabsget? They get huge, hope your tank is huge, as for what they eat they scavange and once they get to be about 4" long they will start eating small shrimps and crabs.

 

[Riley]

The base of each leg is covered with inward pointing spines that move food towards the mouth located between the legs. As the legs are moving, food is crushed. There are also 2 small appendages that help guide food into the mouth.

Maybe that might help you understand how there mouth works and how to maybe feed him next time you see him above the sand bed

 

[Navarre]

even my tank is too small for one of these wee beasties!

They dont remain small with hte size of tank so you are gonna have to upgrade the tank at some point. unless your shop has a 10ft tank with no liverock in it for such a creature.

They dont do so well in tank with liverocks as they are sand dwelling crabs that need lots of flat sand to scavenge through.

Err, i thought you knew alot about these? Definately not a creature for a small system.. not even a large rsystem.. they should not be kept at all IMO.

 

[Lynden]

I thought it was probably there.


Like I said, I know a fair amount about them. Have any of you ever raised triops? They are nearly identical to horseshoe crabs. And not only was I planning on upgrading, but I was planning to give him to the calgary zoo one day. Or, I was thinking of having a nice open tank with some squid, perhaps he could live there. I have seen horseshoe crabs on shows that were 2' or larger, and at my LFS it says that too. But liveaquaria.com reccomends them for 30 gallons or larger, in fact for an info sheet my LFS simply printed this page.

Horseshoe Crab
(Limulus polyphemus)
Quick Stats
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Tank Conditions: 72-78°F; sg 1.023-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4; dKH 8-12
Max. Size In Aquarium: Up to 2'
Temperament: Peaceful
Reef Compatible: With Caution
Diet: Carnivore
Origin: Atlantic Ocean
Family: Limulidae

The Horseshoe Crab is greenish brown to light tan in color. The dorsal part of the body is rounded, and it has a long spike for a tail. The Horseshoe Crab is really not a crab, but more closely related to spiders and mites, belonging to a group of animals called chelicerates. Horseshoe Crabs can grow quite large. The female horseshoe crabs usually grow larger than the males, with thier body reaching a maximum size of 12 inches in diameter. When small, they are very efficient scavengers and are great for aerating and maintaining sand beds.

The Horseshoe Crabs dig through sand and gravel in search of worms and any organic debris. It will move the substrate around almost nonstop in its search for food. They are reef safe, but when they attain a large size, can be harmful to fish and invertebrates, especially worms and clams.

Although it may find some food scavenging, its diet should be supplemented with meaty items such as pieces of squid and shrimp.


That was copied and pasted from liveaquaria, and thats the majority of what I know about horseshoe crabs.

 

[Opcn]

how can a two foot long animal with a hard caripace manuver in a tank 12 inches wide? Those minimum tank sizes are for the animal to live in when you get it, look at the tank sizes and descriptions for scorpion fish. Triops are very different than horseshoe crabs, for one triops swim and horseshoe crabs crawl, tripos have hinging shells.

 

[Lynden]

I know about minimum tank sizes, and i know how big these animals get. Im not an idiot.
Also, my horseshoe crab swims more often than it crawls; it also has a hinged shell. In fact, if i try to hand feed it, it curls into a ball like shape. And plus, it does in fact have paddles on its bottom for swimming. Stop trying to tell me how much of a moron i am, ive had triops and they do look and act much like a horseshoe crab. Also, how would you know they dont act that way? You appear to balk at keeping one, so i doubt youve had one. Please, Im not an animal torturer, and I bought this animal knowing that I couldnt keep him in his current tank all his life. Its just that hes was the only sand sifter available at the time. And I like horseshoe crabs anyways.

 

[steelhealr]

FYI....Zoos and aquariums will RARELY take livestock raised outside of their supervision. You had better contact them prior to raising a large animal. It would be a shame for you to have to sacrifice it someday. SH

 

[Lynden]

Darn that would suck.

 

[Opcn]

I was reffering to how the shell is hinged off od the body, rather than constituting the body. I too have had both (I bought him from one LFS to sell to another for just about 5 times the origional price)

 

[Lynden]

Wow what a brilliant scheme Sorry for that assumtion I made )