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| General Reef Discussion In this forum we discuss issues related to keeping marine and reef aquariums in a friendly flame-free environment. |
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10-19-2009, 07:30 PM
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#1
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 123
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2 emerald crab deaths :( Insight as to why?
So I got a 28 gallon tank a little over a month ago- established for over a year from the previous owner with some critters being in his possession for up to 3 years.
I have his exact setup, same rocks, same creatures. I had 2 emerald crabs. One died after a week- it was 2 years old. The other, after days of searching, I just found today, devoured over a period of days i assume by my banded serpent starfish (been running ammonia checks to see if there was a spike but I am still below .25).
I just dont know how this could happen. I am not over feeding, but this guy was only feeding 1/2 frozen cube per WEEK to the tank. I am doing 1/2 cube every other day as he recommended. Water temp is good (74-78), salinity fine (.23)... what else do i need to check? Any idea what I did or if they just naturally decided to die after this move? I am bummed...
thanks
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10-19-2009, 11:01 PM
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#2
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uber-stupid
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Biloxi, MS
Posts: 4,762
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pH? Sand bed? Anything else going on in the system? What's your stocking list. How about lights? Sounds dumb but they could have an impact. .25ppm should be a non issue for an emerald crab. How about your hermits and snails? Are you dosing anything. RO/DI water? How about KH? Nitrites? Nitrates?
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Jason
My girlfriend says bigger is better, so I am going to build the biggest skimmer I can.
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10-19-2009, 11:19 PM
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#3
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Son of Jor El
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Springfield MO
Posts: 4,580
Reviews: 52
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Inverts can be sensitive to change. Maybe it was just old and the change was too much for them. I would look into Jason's questions but it could be just old crabs and the little push to that big reeftank in the sky
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Jeremy http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f7...ef-119089.html
Did I ever tell you about the time Brasky went hunting? Well anyway, Brasky decides he's gonna hunt down all four members of the Banana Splits. He stalks and kills every one of them with a machete. They all beg for their lives, except Fleagul.
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10-19-2009, 11:25 PM
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#4
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uber-stupid
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Biloxi, MS
Posts: 4,762
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Yeah we moved my gramma once and she died, the doc said she was just old.
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Jason
My girlfriend says bigger is better, so I am going to build the biggest skimmer I can.
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10-19-2009, 11:30 PM
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#5
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 123
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nitrites nothing, ammonia nothing, ph about 8.1 (i think i need to get this up a little), lights is 250 watt metal halide 9 hours a day and he had this same setup but 8 hours a day... Temp has been stable... I found my salinity is about .22 but I just added a couple gallons of water. Oh and I just use tap, which I have been told is ok in my town. All other snails and crabs are doing great and are very active. I want to look into ro/di but i am not there yet... maybe they were just old... I am just new at this so I am probably over analyzing everything. They were cool though... I was really worried about ammonia but it never spiked. At least not yet...
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10-20-2009, 09:45 AM
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#6
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: houston
Posts: 243
Reviews: 4
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i still use tap in houston,.......did you move any exhisting water at least to help with acclimation, my emerald crabs never live a long time
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10-20-2009, 01:11 PM
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#7
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 123
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yep 2/3 was existing water, 1/3 new when we did the move... been doing weekly 1/3 water changes for a month. This weekend was the first time I didn't do the weekly change because all the parameters have settled in nicely... I guess this could have just been old crabs who's time had come... the change must have affected them. They were very active when I first got them though- and they locked up in battle a lot. I thought the first might have been killed by the other...
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10-20-2009, 01:55 PM
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#8
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"Just keep swimming..."
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Sanford, north carolina
Posts: 787
Reviews: 28
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wow two years though not bad. i just acquired 2 emeralds about a week ago and so far they are great. are you going to get 2 more?
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10-20-2009, 02:08 PM
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#9
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Niagara Falls, New York
Posts: 61
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Quote:
Originally Posted by three90s&125sump
Yeah we moved my gramma once and she died, the doc said she was just old.
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Boy am I slow lol, I'm thinking to myself...What kind of fish is a gramma and why did you take it to a dotcor 
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10-20-2009, 02:23 PM
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#10
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: houston
Posts: 243
Reviews: 4
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tested tap water for phos? or any heavy metals, but everything else is fine right?
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10-20-2009, 02:58 PM
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#11
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 123
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I just tested my tank water for phosphate and it looked fine (though those tests need much clearer differentiation because yellow with a little tiny green tinge looks like a vast spectrum on the scale)... but just for precautionary reasons I just added a little phosphate sponge... but I haven't had any problems with phosphates. Everything seems fine... not sure what else to check
I would like to get a couple more emeralds if I get the chance... I just want to make sure it isnt a problem with the tank first. I wanna make sure everything is settled in... then what i really want to do is get some fish  I only have 2 little clowns in there right now... |
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