Hoplosternum
09/19/2001, 07:17 AM
Hello,
I have a 15 gallon SW Tank which has been empty of fish and shrimps for about four months since I moved house and returned my Dottyback to the LFS. The tank has about 30lbs of Live Rock and about an inch of argonite sand. During the tanks 'empty' four months the Pods, tiny fanworms and macroalgae have all flurished even though I stopped feeding the tank.
I have moved house again and while transporting the tank I noticed on the sand some empty crab claws on the sand. I then bought some livestock for the tank - a Neon goby, a Cleaner Shrimp and a small Perc Clown.
It was then at night that I saw the Crab! He is about 1"/1.5" accross and has large hairy claws. He is orange/peachy coloured with some reddish blotches on his carapace. I only got a short glimpse of him by torch light. I have no crab identifying books, but from the descriptions in Delbeek & Sprung (spelling?) he seems to match the discription of both the Shamefaced Crab and a type of Mithrax crab.
Does anyone know which he would be? What can he have been living on except algae in my tank when I was not feeding it? The pods and worms under went a population explosion and my remaining Turbo snail, three bumblebee snails and single tiny blue legged hermit were all left alone. Should I remove him and how can this be done? I have transported him around through two moves and had him in the tank for nearly a year and never seen him until now.
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers,
I have a 15 gallon SW Tank which has been empty of fish and shrimps for about four months since I moved house and returned my Dottyback to the LFS. The tank has about 30lbs of Live Rock and about an inch of argonite sand. During the tanks 'empty' four months the Pods, tiny fanworms and macroalgae have all flurished even though I stopped feeding the tank.
I have moved house again and while transporting the tank I noticed on the sand some empty crab claws on the sand. I then bought some livestock for the tank - a Neon goby, a Cleaner Shrimp and a small Perc Clown.
It was then at night that I saw the Crab! He is about 1"/1.5" accross and has large hairy claws. He is orange/peachy coloured with some reddish blotches on his carapace. I only got a short glimpse of him by torch light. I have no crab identifying books, but from the descriptions in Delbeek & Sprung (spelling?) he seems to match the discription of both the Shamefaced Crab and a type of Mithrax crab.
Does anyone know which he would be? What can he have been living on except algae in my tank when I was not feeding it? The pods and worms under went a population explosion and my remaining Turbo snail, three bumblebee snails and single tiny blue legged hermit were all left alone. Should I remove him and how can this be done? I have transported him around through two moves and had him in the tank for nearly a year and never seen him until now.
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers,