Hi Everyone,
I am Steve Gallagher and I am from the United States. I just bought some vampire crabs about 2 months ago. Everything is fine they are all molting and have lots of hiding spots and have been eating very well. Just this afternoon I noticed a crab missing 5 out of 8 legs. Could this have happend from a really bad molt or do you think it got into a fight and lost? What can I do to care for it? It is still eating very well and moving around on 3 legs and using his claws as legs? It is really, really hard to find information in the USA. Since only a few places even have them for sale. The person I bought them from has no idea what has happened and or what to do. Please I really need help I really am so upset about it. They are also all less then 6 months old if that helps. Will his legs grow back in the next few molts?
Thanks,
Steve Gallagher
Hello Steve
wellcome here
there could be two reasons for this -
first thei fight an one looses the legs -
the other posibility is that she got poisson like copper -
die you change something in the aquarrium in the last week?
(Sunday, 4. July 2010, 7:42)kape schrieb: [ -> ]Hello Steve
wellcome here
there could be two reasons for this -
first thei fight an one looses the legs -
the other posibility is that she got poisson like copper -
die you change something in the aquarrium in the last week?
Hi I put aquarium ferterlizer in a spray bottle to spray the tropical plants it had no copper as far as I know all the other crabs are fine and I have put that ferterlizer in before. I put cuttlebone in the pool to help with molting which has helped them out. That is the only things I have done different. Will the legs grow back? How can I help the little guy?
Thanks
hi! please excuse me! my english is not very well... seperate the crab in another little thank, and bring the water only in a small dish in. feed it normaly.
maybe the legs will be grow back if your crab survived this accident.
how many crabs have you got in your tank? more often male crabs makes turf wars, if you have more than one male in a to small tank.
and please check your tank about dangerous places where the crabs maybe can be hurt or loose some bodily parts.
greets simon
Hi Steve,
the legs will grow back within the next fexw molts.
Cuttlebone is fine for the crabs as it provides them with calcium.
Invetebrates are not only very sensible against copper but also against pesticides.
Do the plants really need fertilizer?
If you find the molt you can easyly see if the crab lost the legs during the molt or afterwards, in the first case they will still be seen in the molt.
How many crabs do you keep and what is the size of the aquaterrarium...could you post a picture of it?
(Sunday, 4. July 2010, 13:26)Devil-Crusta10 schrieb: [ -> ]Hi Steve,
the legs will grow back within the next fexw molts.
Cuttlebone is fine for the crabs as it provides them with calcium.
Invetebrates are not only very sensible against copper but also against pesticides.
Do the plants really need fertilizer?
If you find the molt you can easyly see if the crab lost the legs during the molt or afterwards, in the first case they will still be seen in the molt.
How many crabs do you keep and what is the size of the aquaterrarium...could you post a picture of it?
Well it is a 20 gallon High tank. I plan on the next month or two putting the crabs in a bigger home of a 45 gallon tank. The guy I bought them from said you can put a lot of crabs in a tank. He said because they don't fight. So being they are so rare and it is probably a once in a life time of getting them in the USA. I went made sure it was okay to do, I bought about 30 babies less then 5 months old. Most of the time I never see the crabs they are always burrowing under the dirt. Maybe it is turf war but I never have seen any of them fight. Maybe it happens at night. Could it be a diet issue? I feed them flakes, fruit flies, Hikari Crab food. Most of the time they eat dirt and dead leaves. Someone said Iodine liquid for inverts in marine tanks are really good for crabs. I never tried it I thought I would ask you guys. I can't thank you enough for your help. I will run out and buy a small tank to keep him in until he heals up.
Thanks again,
Steve
Hi Steve and welcome to the "shell worlds"
First You should separate the handicapped crab. When it still has both its claws it can feed normally and with the next molting the lost legs should regenerate. Maybe they are still a little bit smaller than before but that will come back the next time molting then.
Wether the molting went wrong or the crab was attacked by a another crab is secondary and You will probably not find out, both is possible. You don't need an extra tank for this tiny little crab. Just a little box, for example the ones live food like crickets are sold in. Put in it a bit of forest soil or sand, a very small dish of water and some moss, that's fine for the crab. If it is separated from the other crabs there is no stress and it can't be harmed.
Are You sure these are small Geosesarma sp. "Vampire"? As nearly all the other crab species of the family Sesarmidae feed on fallen leaves as main diet, where Geosesarma are mostly carnivorous. If Your ones take fruit flies that's okay. You could try frozen food like mosquito larvae, water fleas etc. The diet should be as diverse as possible, just as in nature. If Your ones feed vegetables that's okay either – just bring in as much different as possible. Like Obama: Change, change, change!
But for the fights: No, crabs do quarrel from time to time and especially the males are sometimes "angry" and it can come to losses, that's quite normal to a certain degree. Of course the more space they have the better they can avoid each other.
(Sunday, 4. July 2010, 20:25)BEASTIEPENDENT schrieb: [ -> ]Hi Steve and welcome to the "shell worlds"
First You should separate the handicapped crab. When it still has both its pincers it can feed normally and with the next molting the lost legs should regenerate. Maybe they are still a little bit smaller than before but that will come back the next time molting then.
Wether the molting went wrong or the crab was attacked by a another crab is secondary and You will probably not find out, both is possible. You don't need an extra tank for this tiny little crab. Just a little box, for example the ones live food like crickets are sold in. Put in it a bit of forest soil or sand, a very small dish of water and some moss, that's fine for the crab. If it is separated from the other crabs there is no stress and it can't be harmed.
Are You sure these are small Geosesarma sp. "Vampire"? As nearly all the other crab species of the family Sesarmidae feed on fallen leaves as main diet, where Geosesarma are mostly carnivorous. If Your ones take fruit flies that's okay. You could try frozen food like mosquito larvae, water fleas etc. The diet should be as diverse as possible, just as in nature. If Your ones feed vegetables that's okay either – just bring in as much different as possible. Like Obama: Change, change, change!
But for the fights: No, crabs do quarrel from time to time and especially the males are sometimes "angry" and it can come to losses, that's quite normal to a certain degree. Of course the more space they have the better they can avoid each other.
Okay it took me all day but I found the little guy. He was hiding under a rock and still was getting picked on. He is in a seperate plastic tank I had for a beta fish. He is eating corn and peas. I never gave them veggies. They went crazy for fresh grown corn. I boiled it for some time and it was soft for them to eat. What other kinds of foods do you guys feed your crabs? I tried frozen and live brine shrimp. They didn't go for it. When you put fozen food in tank where do put it in? A cup or do you leave it right in the ground? Thank you for all of the advice.
Hey Steve
can you put in a picture from your crabs?
this looks no like vampire if they like corn
Knut, I have to contradict: Corn and peas are indeed the only "vegetables" our "Vampires" feed on.
More food? Read our food list:
http://www.panzerwelten.de/forum/thread-1453.html
Frozen food should be placed near the crabs. With ours it is relatively senseless to give them food on a central place like a cup, You have to place it very near from the hiding places of the crabs because they don't like to move much around.
(Monday, 5. July 2010, 20:04)BEASTIEPENDENT schrieb: [ -> ]Knut, I have to contradict: Corn and peas are indeed the only "vegetables" our "Vampires" feed on.
More food? Read our food list: http://www.panzerwelten.de/forum/thread-1453.html
Frozen food should be placed near the crabs. With ours it is relatively senseless to give them food on a central place like a cup, You have to place it very near from the hiding places of the crabs because they don't like to move much around.
Yeah there is fighting going on saw it with my own eyes. I had to put 3 crabs in 3 seperate chinese food containers. The one lost 5 legs and the other 2 lost a claw a piece. I have to set up the huge 45 gallon tank and put them all in it. I messed up trusting someone who I thought knew a lot about these crabs. I just need to make this right. Thanks for helping me guys in my time of need. I thought vampire crabs were very docile with each other.
Thanks,
Steve
(Tuesday, 6. July 2010, 10:12)BEASTIEPENDENT schrieb: [ -> ]Steve, are we really talking about these crabs: http://www.panzerwelten.de/v/Geosesarma/Vampirkrabben/ ? Because such aggressive behaviour in a 20 gallon tank would indeed be unusual. Can You post a picture of Your tank setup?
Hey yes those are the ones I have. I will try and post so pics this week. I thought it was unusual. Thanks.
(Tuesday, 6. July 2010, 10:12)BEASTIEPENDENT schrieb: [ -> ]Steve, are we really talking about these crabs: http://www.panzerwelten.de/v/Geosesarma/Vampirkrabben/ ? Because such aggressive behaviour in a 20 gallon tank would indeed be unusual. Can You post a picture of Your tank setup?
Well I put the 8 or so big bullies in a 10 gallon tank. They seem to be doing fine with each other since they look at each other and say yeah right I am not going to attack something with equal big claws like me
The others in the big tank seem to be coming out more like the wicked witch is dead. LOL!!! I will keep you guys posted as to how the are making out. I know you said legs grow back to claws grow back as well? Thanks as always.
Hi Steve,
yes, claws do grow back too. But if a crab looses both pincers it can't feed anymore. Then one has to separate it and feed it manually until the next molting.
Hey everyone,
Good news the one handicapped crab that lost 5-8 legs has almost made a full recovery. He is only missing one leg which I know he will grow back with the next molt or two. I am going to upgrade to a 65 gallon tank for all of my crabs. I figure a tank that size would be plenty big for a lot of crabs. How do you guys seperate the land from the water side? Would plexi glass do the trick? I also would love to make a 3-D background so I can put a canister filter behind the background and have a nice water fall effect. But also a really clean pool for the crabs. Any pictures of this type of set up? Thanks for all of your help guys. I would have lossed my guy if it wasn't for your advice :0)
Thanks again
Hi Steve,
that's great news, thanks for sharing.
Yes, when to many limbs are missing to regenerate at once the ressources are splitted up and the still missing limb is regenerated the next time. Or if this limb is lost to close before the molting and there is just not enough time to regrow the missing leg.
Plexi glass is one possible solution to separate land from water part. Real glass is another one (and it sticks better than glas on plexi).
Pictures and many ideas You can find in our "think tank":
http://www.panzerwelten.de/forum/forum-43.html - but of course all in German.
Maybe You want to surf a little bit there. But just plain pictures of tanks – including that setup – You find here:
http://www.panzerwelten.de/v/BECKEN/ - this one maybe is more helpful for You
Hey guys,
It looks like I have a crab with a missing eye. Man are vampire crabs really aggressive towards one another. Has anyone else had fighting going on in there set ups? I know limbs grow back do eyes grow back like limbs? I have to move them from a 20 gallon tank to a 45 gallon just to give them all more room. Don't like losing them they were really expensive to buy. Let me know what should I do.
Thanks as always
Hi
No, eyes don't grow back. More space is good, they fight because of territoriality. Some fighting is normal, sometimes a limb goes missing because of that but an eye is unusual. Sadly it won't grow back, but the crab won't have big problems with one eye.
Hey guys,
I upgraded to a 45 gallon tank the crabs have a ton of space. No fighting. One lost an eye when I had them in a 20 gallon high he's fine. But one crab lost his left claw. Will the claw grow back over time or is it just limbs that grow back?
Thanks for all of your help,
Steve
hello steve
normaly it grows back when the crab does the next moulting -
if the moulting comes to soon after the loss- it will take one more