Arrow Crab compatibility

[charlie lisanti]

Hello,
I purchased an Arrow Crab the other night for my 46 G bowfront. I have a Pygmy Cherub Angel, a clown, and three green chromis. All the fish are about an inch and a half long, so they are not the smallest fish around.
I decided that I really liked the crab a couple of weeks ago, and did a little research. The books that I found said it was a real hardy crab, easy to take care of, and went great in the aquarium. I even found a website to back this up.
Today, I went to reconfirm this, and now I am finding out that people say this crab will attack small fish, and eat my other inverts.
I definitely dont want this crab at the expense of my other fish. Will this crab attack my other fish? What kind of luck have any of you had with this crab?
Thanks, Charlie.

 

[carrie1429]

I have two arrow crabs with fish and shrimp and they haven't been able to catch anything yet. Although if the crabs are hungry they will try to go after my cleaner shrimp, but the shrimp have always been to fast for them. I would think if the fish didn't hang around the bottom too much they should be fine. If you have fish that are bottom feeders, (small enough), the crabs will go after those. At least thats what mine try to do. Also if you have your hand in the tank, always keep an eye on the crab, many times mine try to eat my fingers if I'm not paying attention. Good luck with yours.
Carrie <img src="graemlins//angel.gif" border="0" alt="[angel]" />

 

[fshhub]

arrow crabs can and do, try to catch and eat smallll fish and inverts, it is not always a guarentee, but the potential is DEFINITELY there, most reports are pretty close to a 50/50 chance, depending on the particular crab and his or her tank mates

 

[charlie lisanti]

Thanks for the feedback.
One last question: What is a "small" fish? All of my fish are over around an inch to an inch and a half (is that small?).
Just thought of another question. What do I feed the brab?
Thanks, Charlie.

 

[carrie1429]

The size of your fishes I would say is considered small. Whether or not the arrow crab could eat the fish depends on how large he is. At full grown size the crab could easily eat the fish, but smaller ones have a bit more trouble.
My crabs seem to love live blood worms and they'll eat any bristle worms you have. They eat brine too, if they can catch it. I feed my crabs with long tweezers, easier for them to get the food.

 

[perps]

Arrow crabs are

[hr]
! They ate my pelicua clown.. 2 of my gobys and all four of my blue leged crabs! I KILLED HIM! .. but i made him suffer first.. showed him how it feels!

 

[broomer5]

That is really sad Perps
Intentionally making a creature suffer for doing what it was designed/evolved to do is NOT what I would consider being responsible.
Shame on you - I'm totally in disagreement with what you did.
Catching - Removing - Returning to lfs is a much more humane way to deal with a renegade creature in our tanks - not torture and killing it.
I don't make a habit of replying to any posts this way, it is your tank you choice - but in this case I make exception.
Sorry - but that's the way I see it.

 

[dugan]

Perps... no!! That is not what this hobby is all about. It's not the crab's fault he didn't behave the way YOU wanted him to. <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" />
That's terrible.
<img src="graemlins//yell.gif" border="0" alt="[yell]" />
Katie

 

[jakob4001]

a little on the morbid side..especially after you paid for it; think you'd find someone who'd want or trade for it...course not quite as cruel as using sacrifical fish for cycling a new tank knowingly doing so or just flushing fish because you're tired of it...
ANY invert you put in your tank is always 50/50...especially crabs which are designed to be omnivores...IF you keep it well fed as well, things SHOULD be OK...it will stay a small sixe for at least 1/2 year...we had a couple for least few months or so & they never molted (grew)...it ate bristle worms & fish food & NEVER attacked anything unless it was trying to get it's food...you could feed ghost shrimp occasionally....we hade mandarin goby in w/ it & never touched it even when it slept on the bottom at night....as it gets larger, it MIGHT try for bigger game; at which case you remove it & trade for somethin else

 

[deuce biggalow]

I had an arrow that would attack anything in site.. Be careful... Justin

 

[heavenly damsel]

I love the way they look and would have one in a skinny minute if they were compatible with fish. I have been watching them at the LFS and each time I am there I see them with one of their tank mates as a meal. I couldn't do that to my fish. Besides if anyone at my house is going to have an expensive meal it will be me not a crab.

 

[von_rahvin]

i have had those things kill larger fish, ofcourse it was a bigger crab but it took out a 3 inch french angel! Thy are really cool, and they are fun to play with while you are diving but for fish tanks they are just where it's at.

 

[badkjb2]

ive had 1 for a few weeks, and so far, very well behaved. hopefully it will stay that way

 

[jakob4001]

HD, most likely if you saw them munching out at LFS stock, it probably was iether a stressed unhealthy specimen for whatever reason & simply was doing it's job...just get a small 1 & observe it...continues to not pose a threat, great...if does simply remove/trade/replace/return...might be good to remove when it becomes large though...or simply make usre that it is fed too

 

[heavenly damsel]

I go to the LFS twice a week and visit with the arrow crab. That satisfies my need for one. They feed him and take real good care of him for me. Of course I have no idea if he is the same crab or not. LOL

 

[perps]

Originally posted by broomer5:
<strong>That is really sad Perps
Intentionally making a creature suffer for doing what it was designed/evolved to do is NOT what I would consider being responsible.
Shame on you - I'm totally in disagreement with what you did.
Catching - Removing - Returning to lfs is a much more humane way to deal with a renegade creature in our tanks - not torture and killing it.
I don't make a habit of replying to any posts this way, it is your tank you choice - but in this case I make exception.
Sorry - but that's the way I see it.</strong><hr></blockquote> I'm sorry i just paid $40 for my purple firefish.. $20 bux for my clowns and another $40 bux for my hermits.. for that type of money i gonna enjoy myself escpically since i got the arrow for free!!!
I am really considering quitin' the hobby.. caause this is the second time all my fish died (the ones i really wanted @ least) .
Now i have a huge 55 gallon tank with 3 corals and 2 4 stripes and a 6 line wrasse.. ALL FOR SALE!