Spider decorator crab

[nbaker]

I've had one for about a month and he's been great so far, havn't had much luck in finding information about them other than common stuff. Does anyone have any suggestions that might own one, or had dealings w/? I was very miss lead when i bought him, the LPS told me to just watch out for small fish, they then explained he would eat mostly algee and the like. After about four days of looking all over I found that they eats clam or fish meat. In a desprate atempt to feed him I used the next best thing.. Bait shrimp (cleaned of course). Not sure if this it okay.. He eats it but I have to leave it for him to eat later. Thanx for any help.

[Jimbo]

ah.. looks like Schizophrys aspera, they will tear apart any coral or sponge, and attack sleeping fishes.. not reef safe. there is not much info on this species, but they will not grow much larger than 5cm carapace width.

and you are right about feeding them chopped seafood... just dont 'leave it for him to eat' as this will polute your aquarium.

[nbaker]

ah.. looks like Schizophrys aspera, they will tear apart any coral or sponge, and attack sleeping fishes.. not reef safe. there is not much info on this species, but they will not grow much larger than 5cm carapace width.

and you are right about feeding them chopped seafood... just dont 'leave it for him to eat' as this will polute your aquarium.

He's 4" best I can measure. yeah he loves the old dead sponges on my live rock, and as for the fish for now I won't be having many. I think I'll slowly add stuff to the tank xenia mushrooms, and see what he does. If I don't leave it he won't eat. He will not keep the food in his grasp. He's to affraid I guess. Thanx for the advise though.

[cruzeoc]

there like the 1's we have of our coast and they grow large very large they usually live near the groin picking of shell fish or eatiingthe wed and unsespecting fish but trus they do grow BIG

[nbaker]

From what information I have he's at his max size.. 4" Now he's not a decorator crab, yes those do get big, he's the spider crab decorator. The regular decorator was found around the Titanic when the reck was found, they had placed pieces of light fixtures, pearls and such on their selves. The ones they were showing were about 1' from tip of leg to leg. If he get's much bigger than this I'll be selling him for fear of him being a killer, but for now he's just a big baby..hehee Two nights ago one of my little scarlet hermits was facing off with him. :lol: He was flinching everytime the scarlet would pop out of his little 1" long shell. :lol:

[nbaker]

Any one have any reason why I could not put this guy in a sump? I should not have been the "oh he's so cool" way when I bought him. But now I'm worried he might tear up anything I put in the tank, even though he's a big baby right now. A little update he's still 4" in size which everything I can find says he's reached his max, and well he's a meat eater he loves shrimp or squid. How would I go about feeding him? I'm thinking about a 10gallon sump to add on to my 30 gallon tank. Is is okay to occationally add food to the sump to feed him? TIA

[FishinInTheDark]

Nathan, that sounds like a great plan!

Conni