CrazySaltwater Lady
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im looking to possibly buy a horseshoe crab but would like to know the pros and cons and what are they really for? Thanks
Horseshoe crab
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Short answer is, don't get one. Long answer is that they require enormous tanks, can be very destructive in tank (knocking things over and such), will almost always out grow your tank and can be somewhat troublesome to feed. They are best left in nature
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CrazySaltwater Lady
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Excellent thanks for the info .....ill leave him where he is then he just looked cool ...oh well
haha that can the hardest part of this hobby sometimes! There are so many amazing looking fish/corals/inverts but some of them just do not do well in our tanks and are best left in nature. You were smart to do research first!
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CrazySaltwater Lady
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I
I try my very best to research and read about anything I want but could not really find anything on them ....I appreciate it very much
I had one that did great. It was a tall tank not a long one. It ate crap and leftovers like most inverts. They like to bury themselves and stir the sand. Also love to float/swim in the water column. Up and down loops and twirls. Probably would do great in a low flow seahorse tank for a few yrs. They do get big though.
I have them, their slow growers, shed like most crabs, eat small stuff in the sand bed. It's very cool to have a living dinosaur in your DT, but I've heard their protected by federal law, but see Vendors like LA selling them. I've collected small ones, 2-4 inch in diameter, and their survival rate is great.
Just a very cool, active crab, doesn't hurt or bother my corals, but will plow over or push corals in the sand bed. You need to " fence in " corals with larger shells, rocks, or racks to prevent them from plowing. I've had mine for over a year, and they have been around for millions of years, just another good reason to keep one!
Just a very cool, active crab, doesn't hurt or bother my corals, but will plow over or push corals in the sand bed. You need to " fence in " corals with larger shells, rocks, or racks to prevent them from plowing. I've had mine for over a year, and they have been around for millions of years, just another good reason to keep one!
I just bought one of these. I have to admit, it was kind of an impulse buy. They just look so cool it was hard to pass up, i may end up giving him away to someone with a more suitable tank. I have too much live rock for it, it's like watching a bumper car.
chipmunkofdoom2
Always Making Something
I take care of our horseshoe crabs at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. The care is relatively straightforward. We basically give them good water quality and target feed them makrel and shrimp. They really don't need anything else. The only trouble is they plow through things. The Living Seashore touch pool has no rockwork whatsoever. We also keep the water around 67*, which would be troubling for reef conditions. We also keep them in salinity slightly lower than reef ranges, usually around 31ppt. They actually do best between 20ppt and 30ppt, but we keep the salinity slightly higher than 30ppt for the sake of the rays, skates and whelks. If you can afford the space and can provide a colder water environment, they are really cool animals.
Our main touch pool is about 3,600 gallons total:
Our main touch pool is about 3,600 gallons total:
Love the National Aquarium, one of the best parts of living in Baltimore!I take care of our horseshoe crabs at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. The care is relatively straightforward. We basically give them good water quality and target feed them makrel and shrimp. They really don't need anything else. The only trouble is they plow through things. The Living Seashore touch pool has no rockwork whatsoever. We also keep the water around 67*, which would be troubling for reef conditions. We also keep them in salinity slightly lower than reef ranges, usually around 31ppt. They actually do best between 20ppt and 30ppt, but we keep the salinity slightly higher than 30ppt for the sake of the rays, skates and whelks. If you can afford the space and can provide a colder water environment, they are really cool animals.
Our main touch pool is about 3,600 gallons total:
Mrsrich
New Member
I have a horseshoe for several months now. His tail tip got broke at some point, and I'm worried about it . What would you recommend to treat?I take care of our horseshoe crabs at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. The care is relatively straightforward. We basically give them good water quality and target feed them makrel and shrimp. They really don't need anything else. The only trouble is they plow through things. The Living Seashore touch pool has no rockwork whatsoever. We also keep the water around 67*, which would be troubling for reef conditions. We also keep them in salinity slightly lower than reef ranges, usually around 31ppt. They actually do best between 20ppt and 30ppt, but we keep the salinity slightly higher than 30ppt for the sake of the rays, skates and whelks. If you can afford the space and can provide a colder water environment, they are really cool animals.
Our main touch pool is about 3,600 gallons total:
