Crabs Delicate? (common: Red/Blue Hermit, Emerald, Salty lightfoot)

[WarSea378]

I am a beginner toward novice hobbyist (and getting better everyday, ha ha), however, I have found the common LFS crab to be difficult to keep. I have had success in most of my invert adoptions, though I have made a few beginner fouls, I find that the above noted crabs don't last more than a few weeks/months in my keep. Are crabs particularly sensitive? I had not heard they were. Without bogging down my question, I have had success with some fairly sensitive animals...

I suppose what I'm looking for are the following answers... are they susceptible to some minor fluctuations in tank environ, how old/big do they live in nature, what can kill them in captivity...

I know I'm looking at a myriad of responses here, but my water is kept from acceptable to favorable for both a fish and soft coral enviro... (according to mine and the LFS testings)

If it matters much, I can see a variety of 'pods in my refugium and main, from super tiny to pretty big.

 

[stingythingy45]

Yes crabs can be delicate.
How do you acclimate the crabs?
What are the parameters that are favorable?

 

[WarSea378]

I drip acclimate and watch temps, but all the crabs were inhabitants for some time. This wasn't one big die off all at once, I've just found they don't seem to hang in there for very long. I introduced two Emerald Green crabs (about the size of a quarter) who died within a couple days of each other after about 6 weeks of what seemed to be happy living. The blue legged hermits that I've bought, half dozen a couple of months apart, seem to go a few weeks then little by little there just happen to be less and less of them.

By "normal" parameters, I just meant that to the best of my knowledge my water has never been toward "undesirable", nothing drastic any how. I am human and things do happen, but I keep a good log and any losses haven't gone on with any red flags, otherwise I wouldn't really be questioning it I let something spike and found them all laying in the sand belly up, haha.

Just for the sake of mentioning it (in my own defense haha), I have had great success with many of my inhabitants, while I seem to be a "crab killer", haha, I have a flourishing tank!

Thanks for your reply Bob!

 

[JonsReef]

ive found most hermits to be pretty resilient if water parameters are kept in spec. i've had the same 10 or so hermits for a year or two now. i even had one massive electric blue hermit for 3+ years. are you providing new shells for them to move into as they grow?

 

[jenreef]

Do they have enough to eat and os there enough empty shells laying around as they will fight and kill of competitors for the food and shells. When there is no food they will die off. What kind of fish do you keep? What is your ammonia at? What is your nitrite at? These are just some questions that can help us figure out what is killing your crabs off.

 

[Flame Angel]

I am curious to know everyones thoughts on this as well as I do not feel this is an isolated issue.

I seem to be having the same problem and after about another 6 months I went and picked up a few more crabs.

Thought maybe I was doing something wrong in regards to acclimation, but found I was not. Was even given the advice from a LFS to just pop them in, which I did not agree with.

It was to the point that I did not trust my own test kits and had two different LFS test my parameter including copper. After all this there is no reason to be losing crabs as there is pleanty of food and they have all the shells from the previous dead crabs to grow into.

Is it just one of those things. Inquiring minds want to know.