The coolest thing i've ever seen!!

[Mr. E Wrasse]

So I like to look at my tank at night to just see what going on. Well tonight I saw something im sure I never will again! I have one strawberry crab I bought about a month ago and man I never expected this to happen. She was out and about and so I watched her then all thw sudden it looked like an explosion! She spawned EVERYWHERE. My whole tank is full of little strawberry larvae just shooting around. My seahorse went to town but it was dark so im hoping some might make it and I will have a little possy lol. Anyone ever have this happen? And if so any luck? I mean I know quite the majority will die but even if just one makes it that would be awesome!!! Tried to take pictures by the way but it being dark and the larvae being so small, they just looked like little particles of marine snow, mostly invisible.

 

[Rikerbear]

What are you attempting to feed them?

 

[Mr. E Wrasse]

I have no clue haha it literally just happened they are in my main reef tank. I mean if they dont make it it was still awesome to see but im wondering if theres something I should do like add phyto every few days or just leave it alone

 

[Rikerbear]

I have no clue LOL
Will certainly be following along to see how it turns out

 

[CUNAReefer]

Wow. Very cool Mr. E Wrasse. I remember when my Chromis spawned. I would find the little fish in the polyps of my SPS coral. They were eventually released by the coral. The SPS polyps couldn't handle the size of the freshly hatched larvae.

 

[Mr. E Wrasse]

I am crossing my fingers. I mean they make it in the ocean somehow but that is the ocean... im sure this isnt a common thing and I wasnt able to find any info on it so I guess I will have to wait and see. There thousands haha I am just hoping at least one makes it!

 

[mike007]

Thats cool never seen that before except when i was diving the flower garden off the Texas coast.

 

[CUNAReefer]

I am crossing my fingers. I mean they make it in the ocean somehow but that is the ocean... im sure this isnt a common thing and I wasnt able to find any info on it so I guess I will have to wait and see. There thousands haha I am just hoping at least one makes it!

It is not common at all. Having a Strawberry Crab spawn in your tank is really very cool. Most of the crabs will most like become food, but I will keep my fingers crossed for the few lucky ones. Who knows, you could be culturing Strawberry Crabs soon! Good Luck! James

 

[Rikerbear]

How totally exciting!

 

[Mr. E Wrasse]

It is not common at all. Having a Strawberry Crab spawn in your tank is really very cool. Most of the crabs will most like become food, but I will keep my fingers crossed for the few lucky ones. Who knows, you could be culturing Strawberry Crabs soon! Good Luck! James

Thanks man! I will definitely keep things updated if I see any progress!

 

[rajkovich207]

I had i this happen to a blue legged hermit the day after I got it. First ever purchase for the tank. None made it but it was still awesome. If memory serves me those strawberry crabs get large and mean so keep an eye on it, crabs are insanely hard to catch because they are lightning fast. Could pose a serious threat being in a tank with slow moving docile creatures like your fine ponies

 

[Mr. E Wrasse]

I had i this happen to a blue legged hermit the day after I got it. First ever purchase for the tank. None made it but it was still awesome. If memory serves me those strawberry crabs get large and mean so keep an eye on it, crabs are insanely hard to catch because they are lightning fast. Could pose a serious threat being in a tank with slow moving docile creatures like your fine ponies

Really? Ive never read or seen anything about them being aggressive? Most people say they are one of the best crabs for reef tanks. But thats besides the fatc haha I will worry about that if some actually make it! Maybe they will have a little greater of a chance than yours since its a well established reef tank but I guess only time will tell!

 

[andijo81]

Any updates?

 

[MelissaKathryn]

The same thing happened with our fiddler crab in a brackish tank. The next time she was loaded with eggs, we had her in a salt water tank with lower salinity and a sponge filter and live sand, macro algae, the works. So now what does she do?? She picks them off of her and eats them before they hatch! argh! From everything I research about that, the larvae become part of the plankton and just keep eating smaller then larger and larger organisms floating around with them in the ocean. If your tank is really established, you may be able to stand a chance! How are things looking lately? BTW congrats! Quite a compliment on your water quality from your crab ;-)

 

[Mr. E Wrasse]

UPDATE: I have been looking hard at night and have not seen any larvae swimming around, not sure if they died or have begun to live in the LR. I am hoping that is the case though but I probably wont know for awhile. It is very hard considering how small they were when they were all firt shooting around everywhere and there is absolutely no info on this anywhere!!! I have been crossing my fingers and hope for the best! Even though I barely see my strwaberry it would be insane to have a little family! I will keep updates coming if I see anything going on!

 

[Squishie89]

CSI Miami - looks like one of the fish made a strawberry pie

 

[Rikerbear]

UPDATE: I have been looking hard at night and have not seen any larvae swimming around, not sure if they died or have begun to live in the LR. I am hoping that is the case though but I probably wont know for awhile. It is very hard considering how small they were when they were all firt shooting around everywhere and there is absolutely no info on this anywhere!!! I have been crossing my fingers and hope for the best! Even though I barely see my strwaberry it would be insane to have a little family! I will keep updates coming if I see anything going on!

Thanks for the update. Will be anxious to see what if anything happens down the line. Sure hope so :smile:

 

[caudill187]

I had a red-legged hermit spawn once. It was amazing. It's body came very far forward out of the shell and it reached back repeatedly into its shell, flinging the larvae into the water column......cool stuff.

 

[Mr. E Wrasse]

CSI Miami - looks like one of the fish made a strawberry pie

Lol that funny but sad at the same time! My pony is the one who really made a meal out of it. I coukd hear him sucking em up one after another Yeag caudill187 this was nuts. I watched her crawling around and alk the sudden she propped herself up on her back legs and literally just looked like she exploded and then my tank had little strawberries shooting all over the place!

 

[Mr. E Wrasse]

So I havnt seen my strawberry since that night...:sad: I dont look everynight but I havnt seen her at all. I know people go months, even years between seeing them but I would see her about every two weeks. If she did pass after the spawning im hoping she left some of her legacy behind bu I wont know for ahwile. Thos larvae were itty bitty when they popped out