emerald crab

[nicejames]

I just witnessed my emerald crab mating and now she is letting the little white things loose in the water. How many offspring can they have and is this common. Here is a pic although it is hard to make out.

[charlesr1958]

For crabs and shrimp, such a thing is a very common event, if you wish to raise the larvae, I believe the mythrax (emerald) crabs have a very short larval period. But to do so, you would need to set up a kreisel type tank in order to provide the right environment for the larvae. I made my own and have it a bit detailed within my Shrimp Page (http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/shrimp.html). If you need more help, check out Project Dibs as I believe there is a link over there detailing how to raise emerald crab larvae also.

Chuck

[vermonter]

This is a bit off topic but can emerald crabs be a different color? I got a "supposed to be" emerald crab from my local store and well its pink not a emerald green. Did they give me the wrong crab. They did have anenomy crabs in the same tank....

[charlesr1958]

Would have to see the crab to be sure, but since "emerald" crab is not really a specific species name, it could be any number of mithrax family members, of which, the green "emerald" crab is a member of. I have a few photo examples of the mithrax crabs within my hitch hiker pages (http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/hitchhikers.html) if you care to take a gander.

Chuck

[vermonter]

It doesnt look like anything on the page you have listed. Next time I actually see him out ill snap a shot of him....

[charlesr1958]

Thanks, I'll look forward to seeing what ya got.

Chuck

[vermonter]

Heres a pic of my crab. Not a very good shot but hey...

[charlesr1958]

Yeah, its about impossible to make out any identifying features. But if it has "spoon" shaped claw tips, then it would be a member of the mithrax family (that I know of). If so, they generaly just scrape the rocks for algae and small inverts, hence the shape of their claw tips. I have had a few species, and noted that when they get large, they have a bad habit of changing menus and going after tastier things, such as my zoanthids.

http://home2.pacific.net.ph/%7Esweetyummy42/clingcrabclaw.jpg

Chuck

[vermonter]

Yes he has that shape of a claw and he is eating one of my polyops. I noticed it about a week after I put him in that the polyop was shrinking now its basically nothing lol... Ill probably trade him in..

[vtfishies]

i tried to send u mail vermonter lol ur box is full.. very cool lookin crab..to bad its destructive

[vermonter]

I emptied it. I didnt even know it was full lol... Yea it does suck that he kills everything lol..

[vtfishies]

ya it does suck..had a decorator that pulled zoo's off..they were not happy..RIP....

[fishfood]

This is a bit off topic but can emerald crabs be a different color? I got a "supposed to be" emerald crab from my local store and well its pink not a emerald green. Did they give me the wrong crab. They did have anenomy crabs in the same tank....


Sorry for digging up a thread from the past, but a crab that looks physically identical to an Emerald Crab, but it Pink, is generally known as a Strawberry Crab

I came across this thread in a google search.

I have a similar issue. If you sit and stare at my Emerald Crab very closely, you can see almost microscopic little white critters crawling from one joint on the crabs arms to another, across his claws, etc.

You can see them at first glance, but if you stare long enough, you'll see them. Anyone have any idea what they may be?

Thank you.

[Mike O'Brien]

They are likely just copapods.

Mithrax crabs come in different colors, and they have been known to change color. Emerald crab is just a common name. Don't expect them to be green based on a common name.

[Terry64]

Try feeding your crabs with meaty treats, it might take their mind off zoo's and such.

[gsxunv04@aol.com]

mine love when the feeding tube comes around, i got all my inverts trained to eat from my target feeding syringe, not on purpose though, theyre quick learners

[Mike O'Brien]

Yep, and once the figure that out, they don't want to bother eating the algae you put them in there to eat in the first place.