Horseshoe crab question...

[aquaknight]

My roommate is pretty set on a getting a horseshoe for our 125gal. My great fear is that our 5" Harlequin Tusk, 4" Cuban Hogfish or 3" Blue Throat Trigger will make quick work of him. As harsh as this might sound, my concern doesn't really lay with the horseshoe, but with my fish. Horseshoe's aren't poisonous or anything if he did become a snack? I will try to talk him out of it when I get home over the weekend, but I just wanted to see if I should worry if I did come home to an empty horseshoe shell Sunday night... Any info would greatly be appreciated.
Shawn

 

[jon321]

If you got a decent sized one I cant see anything killing it, but somehow tusks and triggers have a habit of doing the impossible. There is no risk to the fish if they do eat it.
Jon

 

[scubaguy]

Plus make sure you have a very stable rock work, they are known to dig under rocks. Then if you have a nice big rock come down and hit your glass, well you know the rest.

 

[1journeyman]

Horseshoe crabs are totally unsuited for reef tanks. They grow far too large, will eat all of your sandbed critters and then starve, or killed harmed by the current in a reef tank.
Tell your roommate to properly research purchases.

 

[jon321]

The reef must be another tank since the profile says 30g reed and the post says 125g which i take to be an aggressive. As long as there is lots of open sand and stable rockwork, I have never had trouble getting one to eat krill or shrimp.
Jon

 

[veni vidi vici]

They get pretty big.Here is one i got to pick up at Key West Aquarium.

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by Jon321
The reef must be another tank since the profile says 30g reed and the post says 125g which i take to be an aggressive. As long as there is lots of open sand and stable rockwork, I have never had trouble getting one to eat krill or shrimp.
Jon
How long did it live and how big did it get?

 

[jon321]

The lfs had it about 6 months in their display reef and it grew from about 1" to about 3" and was too destructive, I had it another 6 months and it didnt molt/grow that I know of, and I sold it to a friend and it still resides in his 90g reef almost 2 years since I sold it and its molted a couple times, but Im not sure how large it is because its always burried and he just finds a molt one morning.
Jon

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Jon321
The lfs had it about 6 months in their display reef and it grew from about 1" to about 3" and was too destructive, I had it another 6 months and it didnt molt/grow that I know of, and I sold it to a friend and it still resides in his 90g reef almost 2 years since I sold it and its molted a couple times, but Im not sure how large it is because its always burried and he just finds a molt one morning.
Jon
Are you certain that you are talking about the same type of crab? They grow very large and will decimate a sand bed quite quickly.

 

[aquaknight]

Well, he went ahead and got one. Acclimated him and tossed him in, they sink upside down, so that's how he landed. All the fish quickly gathered around with interest, I was quite worried for a split second, but he flipped over and buried himself. Haven't seen him till late last night, he emerged and grabed and a piece of leftover krill (interesting).
As far as max size, most of the horseshoes in the trade are the Atlantic speices that are the ones in the pic above. There are some types that stay relatively small (pretty rarely available though).
Yea, my tank is a 125gal, the 30(29 actually) is my first/reef tank. The sand is dead Lowes sand, so there isn't anything to kill yet. I figure as long as he can get scraps from the fish he'll do alright. I have a bunch of duster clusters in my 29's fuge, so I'll try tossing a few in for him.

 

[kitten_shark]

if you get a larger one nothingn will kill i tbut most that you can buy or find in the wild will be smaller. i got 3 young ones in florida a hwile back, one died, btu the otehr two are still doing great in my 10 galon sicne there only an inch long. but the older adults can move rock around and needs lots of sand, lots. they will burrow and stuff loooking for food an dneed plenty of sand to cover themselves with. they will also move rock around and if you have any corals, it's a bad idea.

 

[sk8shorty01]

Originally Posted by Kitten_Shark
if you get a larger one nothingn will kill i tbut most that you can buy or find in the wild will be smaller. i got 3 young ones in florida a hwile back, one died, btu the otehr two are still doing great in my 10 galon sicne there only an inch long. but the older adults can move rock around and needs lots of sand, lots. they will burrow and stuff loooking for food an dneed plenty of sand to cover themselves with. they will also move rock around and if you have any corals, it's a bad idea.

You have 2 horseshoes in a 10 gallon? I think thats just asking for trouble, as they will probably out eat their food source. I would definitely consider taking them to the LFS and maybe get some credit for a more suitable species in a 10 gallon. Just my opinion

 

[zeke92]

there only an inch long. and i make sure they got plenty of food. at this size there plenty suitable as long as i make sure they get plenty of food. they have been doing great for a couple months now, or however long i've had them. thanks for the concern tho

 

[aquaknight]

Were they like thumbnail size when you first got them, or is the growth rate pretty slow, like triggers?

 

[nereef]

Originally Posted by AquaKnight
As far as max size, most of the horseshoes in the trade are the Atlantic speices that are the ones in the pic above. There are some types that stay relatively small (pretty rarely available though).
this is a common misconception. there are four species of these "crab." all get very large in size.

 

[sk8shorty01]

Originally Posted by NEreef
this is a common misconception. there are four species of these "crab." all get very large in size.

I agree... They get large and are too big for most people to handle in a personal aquarium.

 

[btb9000]

They grow realitively slow. They reach sexual maturity in 10-12 years. So figure 4-5 years before they get too big for the home aquarium. I am sure some of the local Aquariums wouldn't mind adding a few horseshoes to their touch tank, free of cost.

 

[alex4286]

ive been told the one i got wont get too much bigger its about 3 inches and hasnt really grown for the few months ive had it