A Christmas tragedy...POSSIBLY

[Fyveonit]

Okay so earlier this week I came into town from a weekend trip, and noticed two of my Blue Leg shells were empty. So I had some alarm as I was told the Halloween hermits I got for my CuC were VERY docile, but about a day later my buddy spotted what he thought was my Porcelain crab.

When I walked over to check out my crab bro, I saw that this was not MY crab. But a hitchhiker from some seed rock I assume.

Thankfully he was caught with ease since my tank is about a month old...nothing to disturb really yet...We dubbed him "El Chapo" and into the supermax sump he went...



We danced and sang songs as the terror in the tank was finally gone...OR SO WE THOUGHT.



This morning I awoke to another empty shell...this time a big Halloween Hermit....Found him half eaten in between some rocks. I was optimistic it was a molt but I am pretty sure it isn't.


Do I have another monster in my tank? What do I do? I have never had a problem like this in any of my other tanks...

How much of a water change should I do from the carnage? 34 G tank with a small sump (Reefer 170)

 

[Elementalj]

Okay so earlier this week I came into town from a weekend trip, and noticed two of my Blue Leg shells were empty. So I had some alarm as I was told the Halloween hermits I got for my CuC were VERY docile, but about a day later my buddy spotted what he thought was my Porcelain crab.

When I walked over to check out my crab bro, I saw that this was not MY crab. But a hitchhiker from some seed rock I assume.

Thankfully he was caught with ease since my tank is about a month old...nothing to disturb really yet...We dubbed him "El Chapo" and into the supermax sump he went...



We danced and sang songs as the terror in the tank was finally gone...OR SO WE THOUGHT.



This morning I awoke to another empty shell...this time a big Halloween Hermit....Found him half eaten in between some rocks. I was optimistic it was a molt but I am pretty sure it isn't.


Do I have another monster in my tank? What do I do? I have never had a problem like this in any of my other tanks...

How much of a water change should I do from the carnage? 34 G tank with a small sump (Reefer 170)

I'd say you've got someone in there with an appetite for sure.

Set a trap before lights out and get the red flashlight out.

 

[Fyveonit]

Cool, I am new to fancy lighting but since I can control the spectrum of my AI Hydra, can I just have it shine a little Uv and some extra reds only tonight?

Testing my Ammonia now, it's almost non existent but there is a very slight yellow tint in the water.

 

[Leslie Tabor]

Oh F that thing...I would die! What is it...it looks like a fuzzy water spider?! Not cool!

 

[Fyveonit]

Oh F that thing...I would die! What is it...it looks like a fuzzy water spider?! Not cool!

Hehe he is a pest according to @Roboson

"Looks like a banded clinging crab to me."


However, I have not seen any others since putting that guy in Super-Max. I will look into a DIY trap for tonight and see what we catch. Been on a Die Hard movie binge for Christmas...I am ready to take this beast on. Yippy Ki Yay Crab Killer!


I will say I love that my rock actually had some hitchhikers haha... Every time way back when I would be sad..."NONE OF MY ROCK EVER HAS COOL THINGS"


Now I regret that...But I have seen some neat things so far. GIANT PODS, SPAGHETTI WORMS living in one rock THEY SEEM CHILL AND CREEPY IF THEY EVER COME ALL THE WAY OUT!! Micro dusters! AND CRAB KILLERS....***

 

[Meccaman96]

Could have a mantis shrimp hitchhiker. Seen it b4

 

[Roboson]

Mithrax crabs really aren't crab or fish killers. They're more likely to turn on coral (which can't run away lol). If you're losing crabs, perhaps research xanthid (rock) crabs.

 

[Fyveonit]

Mithrax crabs really aren't crab or fish killers. They're more likely to turn on coral (which can't run away lol). If you're losing crabs, perhaps research xanthid (rock) crabs.

Oh I know, I am just re-tracing this week. The crab you ID'd for me is still in the sump. Things are still being eaten, I have made a water bottle trap. I will report back if I catch anything!

 

[Leslie Tabor]

Oh I know, I am just re-tracing this week. The crab you ID'd for me is still in the sump. Things are still being eaten, I have made a water bottle trap. I will report back if I catch anything!

Keep me posted! I love seeing all this weird stuff as long as it is NOT in my tank!

 

[Fyveonit]

 

[Fyveonit]

What's the opinion on running Reds via my Hydra LED tonight instead of a flashlight? Is all night (while I am awake) too much?

 

[SalinFL]

When I bought live rock several years back I got a mantis shrimp. Scariest dang thing ever! Didn't know it was in there until the little monster went after my hand. My solution was to bate a glass soda bottle.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

What's the opinion on running Reds via my Hydra LED tonight instead of a flashlight? Is all night (while I am awake) too much?

its fine.
good luck.

where did you get the rock?

 

[Elementalj]

its fine.
good luck.

where did you get the rock?

I was going to ask the same question. And I'll also second the mantis as suspect, they're messy eaters! Best of luck!

 

[Fyveonit]

Well I think we found the culprit, I fashioned a trap and used a tiny chunk of Mahi to bait as I had no shrimp. At around midnight I made a patrol round, and found the trap was empty. So I was looking around the tank to see if everything was doing okay AND I SPOTTED IT!

One of my Halloween hermits had another one of his buddies held down, and half pulled apart. Two Nassarius snails were helping out I think! I grabbed it with my tongs and currently have it in the sump.

I feed twice a day using pellets and flakes, almost to a point I am afraid of over feeding for a CuC for now...a little under half a teaspoon of Neptune Systems mix (as low as the AFS sets to)....But I don't think my crabs are starving out or anything...

What about the injured crab? He's missing about half its limbs, should I euthanize...or to quote Jeff Goldblum Jurassic Park...see if "Life uhhh finds a way"? It's still moving around and eating it looks like. I do feel bad for it though...



EDIT: Sorry as for the seeder rock, I picked up three baseball sized chunks of rock from my ONLY LFS in 75 miles...a PetCo about 20 miles away. The dry rock was a mix of BRS Pukani, Shelf, and Basic Fiji