Emerald Crabs

raymi17

Both of my small emerald crabs have recently died, within a 2 week time frame. ........HELP.........What do I do?

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I have a 55 gallon tank set up for saltwater; my aquarium has been running for about 5 months. I have 5 fish; there are two clown fish, two blue damsels, and one scooter blenny. I have one red star fish, two red legged hermit crabs, one blue legged hermit, and two snails. I have two filters a mechanical and biological one. My next water change is due on Saturday, and the fish are fed once daily. I also have approximately 30 pounds of live rock.

Melissa

what are your water parameters, your temp., and salinity?

caferacermike

Ah better yet, are you sure they died? Are you 100% positive that they did not simply molt?

Robnjo

yeah, they'll hide till their shells harden. I got worried everytime my coral banded shrimp died, I'd scoop out the dead body...only to find him afew weeks later coming out for food

raymi17

THANKS GUYS I FIGURED IT OUT, MY SALINITY IS AT 1.021, . The problem was my nitrites were to high, my measuring kits for nitrites were bad so i went out and bought a mardel 5 in 1 test works way better.

blackta3

what kind of test did you have because i have one that wont read nitrates. it's a doc well fish test.

SKAustin

Heh heh heh. Aint it something the way the skins they shed keep both their structure and their color. They almost look like a well preserved corpse. Ive been fooled a few times by my emerald crabs too.

ziggy222

i read once that crustatians will position their shells in such a way as to decoy predators away from them till their new shell hardens.like they will put their shell out in the open while they hide behind a rock.