Confirmed arrow crab has eggs

[littlefoxx]

Anyone have experience breeding arrow crabs? Just witnessed them having sex… that was very weird… but she for sure has babies now. Anyone know what I can do to give the babies the best chance at living? Should I move the crabs to my 32 (empty) and wait for them to hatch?

 

[blaxsun]

Thanks for that mental image. Now I won't be able to sleep, lol.

 

[littlefoxx]

Thanks for that mental image. Now I won't be able to sleep, lol.

Lol yeah was gross. Soon as I saw them I was like yeah lm not watching my boyfriend just was so horrified he couldnt look away

 

[jabberwock]

uhm... any pics?

Of the babies I mean!

 

[littlefoxx]

uhm... any pics?

Of the babies I mean!

Not yet! Shes got a pouch that she is feeding and its getting bigger! Ill try to get pictures of them if I can!

 

[littlefoxx]

Here is mama taking care of her babies

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Some info on rearing below:

I don't know if any hobbyists have reared arrow crabs before, but it has been done in laboratory settings using Baby Brine Shrimp (Artemia nauplii):

Yeah, they're pelagic larvae, so they wouldn't last long in most home aquaria (predation, equipment, etc. would all decrease their numbers). OP, if you're wanting to breed these guys, you'll need to pull the larvae out of the display tank into a rearing tank to protect them as they grow. (Keep us updated on how it goes if you try it - I love these sorts of things).

Here's a link to a public PDF of the full paper I linked above - the full paper goes into some more details both on keeping the female broodstock and on the rearing of the larvae: https://www.researchgate.net/public..._Brachyura_Inachidae_reared_in_the_laboratory

 

[littlefoxx]

Some info on rearing below:

Awesome thank you! I plan to pull her out when shes further along and have them hatch in my simple 10 gallon and then move mama back to her tank. Any idea how long the eggs need before hatching? I dont want to move mama too soon and stress her out. But I for sure want to try and raise the babies!

 

[Tnops]

No idea on anything breeding but this is pretty interesting and if you have the time to pursue it I would defineitly say go for it and let us know what goes down!

 

[littlefoxx]

No idea on anything breeding but this is pretty interesting and if you have the time to pursue it I would defineitly say go for it and let us know what goes down!

Yeah not a lot of info! But it looks like its about two weeks before mama gives birth so Im going to set a breeding tank up for them and move mama when shes ready to give birth and see if I can raise a few babies! Also watching my clowns like crazy because I want to raise them too! Its interesting watching her feed her pouch though. I will for sure update when she gives birth!

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Any idea how long the eggs need before hatching?

Not yet, unfortunately. There are a couple of papers I still need to look through, but the only info I have about the egg hatching timeline at the moment suggests that the eggs develop for substantially longer than five days.

 

[littlefoxx]

Not yet, unfortunately. There are a couple of papers I still need to look through, but the only info I have about the egg hatching timeline at the moment suggests that the eggs develop for substantially longer than five days.

Okay cool! I think Ill set up the 10 gallon for her and move her in a week or so for her to give birth then move her back to the DT

 

[Enrique7]

Update?

 

[littlefoxx]

Update?

I lost her in my tank crash. Tried to have another pair, she had eggs but the male then killed at ate her…

 

[littlefoxx]

Yeah was sad. The new pair he fertilized the eggs (horrible sight with how many freaking legs you see when mating…) and then she was just gone. Found him munching on her… he was smaller than her too by a lot. Now the guy is huge! Im on the lookout for a very large female to see if I can get them to breed but if I find one and he eats her too then Im done! He is a pretty cool critter though

 

[jabberwock]

Well sorry about that...
Death is part of it, unfortunately. In many other lifeforms, it is usually the female devouring the male after mating. "Black Widows" etc...

Best of luck

 

[littlefoxx]

Well sorry about that...
Death is part of it, unfortunately. In many other lifeforms, it is usually the female devouring the male after mating. "Black Widows" etc...

Best of luck

Yeah thats why I was so stunned. He was also half the size of her! I checked like 4 times to make sure the survivor was a male and yep. Male. Weirdo lol