FAQs about Horseshoe Crabs,
Compatibility
Related FAQs: Horseshoe Crabs 1, Horseshoe Crabs 2, & FAQs on: Horseshoe Crab ID, Horseshoe Crab Behavior, Horseshoe Crab Selection, Horseshoe Crab Systems, Horseshoe Crab Feeding, Horseshoe Crab Disease, Horseshoe Crab Reproduction, & Crustaceans 1,
Micro-Crustaceans, Amphipods, Copepods, Mysids, Hermit
Crabs, Shrimps,
Cleaner
Shrimps, Banded Coral
Shrimp, Mantis
Shrimp, Anemone
Eating Shrimp,
Related Articles: Horseshoe Crabs: Latter Day Trilobites for
Some Systems & Crustaceans,
Micro-Crustaceans, Amphipods, Copepods, Mysids,
Isopods, Shrimps,
Coral
Banded Shrimp, Cleaner
Shrimp, P. holthuisi
Pix, Mantis
"Shrimp", Lobsters,
Slipper
Lobsters, Hermit
Crabs, Squat Lobsters, Crabs, Arthropods,
Pycnogonids (Sea Spiders),
|
|
Horseshoe Crab Compatibility
Hello All:
<Howdy Brendan>
First off I love your website. There is a tremendous amount of
information.
<And more all the time>
I hope my question is a simple one. I purchased a small horseshoe crab
today from the local pet store. (Approximately 1.5 - 2" Diameter
).
<Mmm... this is likely the coldwater N. American, Atlantic
species...>
Within my reef tank, I also have a small dragon wrasse. This was
purchased about one week ago. Just like your website says on this
specimen, he is about 1.5" long and multi colored when sold in the
stores.
<Neat animals. Beautiful, with much interesting behavior... A bit
"destructive" when larger... called "Rock Movers"
in many places>
After monitoring the horseshoe crab, the dragon wrasse was very curious
(by nature) and followed him around for a little while. The dragon
wrasse has not made an attempt on the horseshoe crab, but I would like
to see if these two are tank mates or not.
<They are not compatible period... temperature-wise>
Thank you for your time. I look forward to your response.
<I really encourage you to return the Horseshoe Crab... It will not
live long or well in a tropical setting. Please read here re:
http://wetwebmedia.com/hshoecrabsart.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Will my horseshoe crab eat my other livestock? (RMF, feel
free to argue!) 10/15/09
Hello! I have read much of the information on this site and am very
impressed. However I don't see my answer, so here we go. I just
brought home a horseshoe crab from a guy that I was buying some live
rock off of.
<Hope you have a large coldwater marine aquarium to keep your
Limulus in; they are not tropical animals and cannot be kept in
tropical reef tanks.>
I got lots of live rock, a clown fish, 2 zebra fish and an enmity.
<An enmity? Do you mean that? An enmity is a hatred. Do you mean an
anemone? One of those big things with tentacles that looks like a
jellyfish stuck to a rock?>
Well I got the fish and crab for nothing so I took them. The fish are
doing fine tonight but the crab is all over the place, probably because
of the current.
<He's looking for a way out of this tank and into a coldwater
system.>
I didn't have much in the tank because I have only had it running
for 2 months or so and am kinda new to all this. So I decided to come
to your website and see what information you had for me! Well I
panicked when I seen that horseshoe crab eat shellfish!!!
<Up to a point. But they are primarily detritivores that feed on
small organisms and decaying organic matter they sift from mud. In
captivity, scientists maintain them by taking them from the holding
tank, putting them
upside down in a feeding tank, sticking some shellfish between their
legs, and amazingly enough, they eat the shellfish. Leave in the
feeding tank for an hour so they can defecate, and then return to the
holding tank. They do this 2-3 times a week. While it sounds a
performance, it's actually the best way to maintain Limulus for any
length of time outside of a very large public aquarium. In a really big
tank with a deep sandy substrate, they are to a degree
"scavengers" that get by on leftover food and such, but this
isn't really viable in home aquaria. We're talking tanks
measured in 1000s of gallons here, which isn't what most folks have
at home.!>
I Only had a few friends in the tank before tonight. They are 2 baby
brittle starfish (maybe 1in. diameter) a Emerald crab, 2 blue hermit
crabs, and a skunk shrimp. So immediately pulled this horseshoe guy out
of my tank and put him in my sump for the night (lots of rock there
with very little current and light). He's a little more calm there
but, I need to know if this new guy means trouble for my other little
helpers in my tank. I am trying to start slow, and do things right.
<He's actually doomed.><<I do agree. RMF>>
100gal tank
100lbs of live rock
2in of sand
<This is a weak link in the chain: you'd need a very big, very
mature deep sand bed to maintain Limulus "naturally".>
1 horseshoe crab
1 skunk shrimp
2 blue hermit crabs
1 Emerald crab
2 zebra fish
1 tomato clown fish
1 enmity
1 colony of mushrooms
Dose anything above NOT belong together in a tank
<Yes, the Horseshoe crab doesn't belong. It needs a large
unheated tank maintained at around 10-20 degrees C with a deep sand bed
it can burrow into. If you can see the crab, it isn't being kept
properly: in the wild they stay under the sand much of the time. There
are tropical species, such as Carcinoscorpius, but this species is sold
as a brackish-water "Mangrove Horseshoe Crab" and so far as I
know not in the US, since the American trade has access to the cheaper
Limulus. Even in Europe, Carcinoscorpius isn't often seen, which is
a shame because it's smaller, highly euryhaline, and consequently
easier to keep. Anyway, Limulus is one of those animals *not* to buy on
a whim. Hope this helps, Neale.><<Well done. RMF>>
Lyretail Wrasse Hello, <Hi Jessica> My name is Jessica
and I have a question about housing certain things together. Is it
possible to house a horseshoe crab in the same aquarium with a lunar
wrasse? Thank you very much. <I wouldn't. They are an
aggressive fish and crustaceans is on the menu. James (Salty
Dog)>
Horseshoe Crab/Compatibility 1/9/07 Hi, <Hi Joey> I
purchased a horseshoe crab a week ago and just today bought some Camel
Shrimp...I went to work and came home and just found their heads.
<Mmmm cannibals in the tank.> Could my Horseshoe Crab have eaten
them or did they die first?? I bought live cured rock today could that
have been a problem?? <Well Joey, what else is in the tank besides
the Horseshoe Crab? Horseshoe crabs are mainly sand sifting
filter feeders, although there are some species that are more
predatory. Depending on what specie you have, the crab could
have very well ate them. Again, you may have a fish or other
invertebrate that had lunch on you. As for dying first,
could very well have happened depending on your acclimation
method. The newly purchased live rock; could have gotten a
Mantis Shrimp as a not so nice bonus.> Thanks <You're
welcome. James (Salty Dog)> Joey