Questions about Purple Lobster

[woody189]

I have a 46 gal tank w/ 45 lbs LR.
2clowns
sixline
royal gramma
purple firefish
snails
hermit crabs
skunk shrimp
fire shrimp
featherduster
I know the lobsters love to hide, but i just want to know how many places it would have in my tank.
I ask this because there isnt too much rock that has contact with the ground. The places that are there, seem to be too small for him to fit in. The lobster wouldnt have too many places to hide that he could fit in.
If they climb the rock, then obviously the hiding places would increase, but i still don't see how such a large creature could be so hard to find.
I can find most of my sleeping fish, so why wouldn't i be able to find a lobster??
also, i KNow it's basically hit or miss with them, but I SHOULD HOPEFULLY be okay with 1 in my tank right??
thanks so much

 

[natclanwy]

I don't know anything about the space requirement for the lobster but I do know that your shrimp will be lunch if you add one to your tank. I believe they will also consume snails and hermit crabs also and to top it off they also eat fish especially small ones like firefish.
Lobsters as a general rule are best left to species only tanks they are very aggressive and probably are only rivaled by mantis shrimp.

 

[chasar]

Originally Posted by woody189
http:///forum/post/2865554
I have a 46 gal tank w/ 45 lbs LR.
2clowns
sixline
royal gramma
purple firefish
snails
hermit crabs
skunk shrimp
fire shrimp
featherduster
I know the lobsters love to hide, but i just want to know how many places it would have in my tank.
I ask this because there isnt too much rock that has contact with the ground. The places that are there, seem to be too small for him to fit in. The lobster wouldnt have too many places to hide that he could fit in.
If they climb the rock, then obviously the hiding places would increase, but i still don't see how such a large creature could be so hard to find.
I can find most of my sleeping fish, so why wouldn't i be able to find a lobster??
also, i KNow it's basically hit or miss with them, but I SHOULD HOPEFULLY be okay with 1 in my tank right??
thanks so much
Lobsters are nocturnal. You want them to have a place to hide to feel comfortable. Remember this is their home and as much pleasure it brings all of us having these tanks in our home, we need to do what we can to make it as comfortable as possible for the lobster/fish. You should place rock to form a cave. I had a purple lobster in a 46 gal bowfront for probably 3 years. The tank was stocked witht the same or similar fish as you have. The Lobster should be ok. I had cleaner shrimp and others that lived in the same tank with no issues. The Lobster will climb rock to find a cave if needed, but I feel that it would better like a cave on the substrate. You would more than likely be better of this way also, if the lobster lives on the ground he will not run into as many tank mates. If it is up of the substrate where the fish are swimming and the firefish say stops in front of the lobsters cave, well you won't have to worry about feeding him for a few days. Many things can and will get along together as long as they are all happy, give them the right environment to feel comfortable and the proper food to keep them fat and happy and all should be well.

 

[snowrider84]

i have had one in my tank for about three months and i have only seen him two times with one of them being the day i put him in and about a week ago when i moved rock around, i have not seen any negitive effects of him, i have some shrimp and a few small fish.

 

[woody189]

Originally Posted by chasar
http:///forum/post/2865710
Lobsters are nocturnal. You want them to have a place to hide to feel comfortable. Remember this is their home and as much pleasure it brings all of us having these tanks in our home, we need to do what we can to make it as comfortable as possible for the lobster/fish. You should place rock to form a cave. I had a purple lobster in a 46 gal bowfront for probably 3 years. The tank was stocked witht the same or similar fish as you have. The Lobster should be ok. I had cleaner shrimp and others that lived in the same tank with no issues. The Lobster will climb rock to find a cave if needed, but I feel that it would better like a cave on the substrate. You would more than likely be better of this way also, if the lobster lives on the ground he will not run into as many tank mates. If it is up of the substrate where the fish are swimming and the firefish say stops in front of the lobsters cave, well you won't have to worry about feeding him for a few days. Many things can and will get along together as long as they are all happy, give them the right environment to feel comfortable and the proper food to keep them fat and happy and all should be well.
Thanks. Makes perfect sense I didnt' think about the fact that they NEED to have a hiding spot and it wouldn't be in the best interest of my (future) lobster to not provide one. I'm thinking i might maniupulate the rock so the hideout is somewhere that I like, but still keeps him happy. Chasar, how often did you personally see your lobster?
Nat- Not to disagree, but from what i've read, they aren't really meant for only Agressive tank. Their not too bad as long as their fed, and often go well even w/ shrimp. Snails, i wouldnt be suprised if they started to dissapear though. Thanks for the input though.
Hopefully I get lucky and it'll be peaceful and not too shy.
Thanks for the answers. If any1 else has something to add, or experience with purple lobsters, feel free.

 

[natclanwy]

To each his own but you should check out the FAQ on Wetwebmedia, many people get lucky but you shouldn't take that as the norm. I have a green brittle star that is a known fish killer and so far I have been lucky and it hasn't bothered any of my fish. I still would not reccomend keeping this star to anyone that is keeping small fish even though my experience has been good but many will because it gets along with there fish for the time being. So my point is these animals have a specific behavior pattern and the odds are against you when these things are part of its natural diet in the wild just proceed with caution and at your own risk.

 

[chasar]

Originally Posted by woody189
http:///forum/post/2865770
Thanks. Makes perfect sense I didnt' think about the fact that they NEED to have a hiding spot and it wouldn't be in the best interest of my (future) lobster to not provide one. I'm thinking i might maniupulate the rock so the hideout is somewhere that I like, but still keeps him happy. Chasar, how often did you personally see your lobster?
Nat- Not to disagree, but from what i've read, they aren't really meant for only Agressive tank. Their not too bad as long as their fed, and often go well even w/ shrimp. Snails, i wouldnt be suprised if they started to dissapear though. Thanks for the input though.
Hopefully I get lucky and it'll be peaceful and not too shy.
Thanks for the answers. If any1 else has something to add, or experience with purple lobsters, feel free.
I would get to see mine at feeding time quite often. I knew where it had made its home and I would drop part of a cube of mysis shrimp in front of it. I had a bad work schedule working until early morning hours then and would get home and sit in front of the tank watching for it. He would make his laps around the tank, right along the glass. I do think that once it got comfortable and the tank was well established he came out less and less. If they are happy and have what they need in there home, they are not going to leave it very often. My GF loved "her" Purple Lobster and wants to get another one. If/when you get one, I would reset your light timer to reflect your schedule. If you want to see it you will want your light to go off hours before you turn in to bed. Lets say that you go to bed around 10 PM each night, have you lights go off around 7 PM or soon there after, to allow you to have a few hours of darkness in the tank and see the Lobster when it comes out. Remember that you set there sunrise and sunset with your lights. You can trick a nocturnal animal to thinking it is night time in the tank.

 

[woody189]

Originally Posted by chasar
http:///forum/post/2865800
I would get to see mine at feeding time quite often. I knew where it had made its home and I would drop part of a cube of mysis shrimp in front of it. I had a bad work schedule working until early morning hours then and would get home and sit in front of the tank watching for it. He would make his laps around the tank, right along the glass. I do think that once it got comfortable and the tank was well established he came out less and less. If they are happy and have what they need in there home, they are not going to leave it very often. My GF loved "her" Purple Lobster and wants to get another one. If/when you get one, I would reset your light timer to reflect your schedule. If you want to see it you will want your light to go off hours before you turn in to bed. Lets say that you go to bed around 10 PM each night, have you lights go off around 7 PM or soon there after, to allow you to have a few hours of darkness in the tank and see the Lobster when it comes out. Remember that you set there sunrise and sunset with your lights. You can trick a nocturnal animal to thinking it is night time in the tank.

Thanks for the info. I'm thinking about getting mine sometime this week.
I really really really hope he's not too shy. I hope even more that he's not aggressive.

 

[alyssia]

I have had a couple, didn't see them much at all, but they never once bothered my snails or fish.

 

[woody189]

Chasar, Did you feed your lobster or it just eat whatever you fed your tank?
I was reading some other threads, and they said that they would through a silverside in there every few days and the lobster would come out and eat it (if it was night). did you have any experience with this?
alyssia, that's good news. I'm not too worried about snails, mostly my fish and shrimp. I don't feel too bad when i lose a snail.

 

[alyssia]

Mine would come out and snatch silverslides too, sometimes during the day. I also kept it with fire and cleaner shrimp with no problems. I forgot to add that earlier.

 

[woody189]

Chasar, Did you feed your lobster or it just eat whatever you fed your tank?
I was reading some other threads, and they said that they would throw a silverside in there every few days and the lobster would come out and eat it (if it was night). did you have any experience with this? This also deterred them from attaacking other things in teh tank because they wouldn't be too hungry
alyssia, that's good news. I'm not too worried about snails, mostly my fish and shrimp. I don't feel too bad when i lose a snail.

 

[tinatina5]

I have had my lobster for about a year and a half with no problems at all with fish or my shrimps. They all seem to live in perfect hamony. I feed my lobster the same thing I feed my tank and she seems to molt about every month and a half. Hope this helps.

 

[woody189]

Originally Posted by tinatina5
http:///forum/post/2872145
I have had my lobster for about a year and a half with no problems at all with fish or my shrimps. They all seem to live in perfect hamony. I feed my lobster the same thing I feed my tank and she seems to molt about every month and a half. Hope this helps.
Thanks, it does. I just went to my LFS and he really scared me out of it. I appreciate the fact that he would talk me out of a sale, but the main reason i didn't take it is because I wouldn't be able to return it in the event that it's too aggressive.
I'm trying to find another good aquarium that will let me return it if i need to.

 

[woody189]

Well. I went to LFS that i like, and toldt hem that i found a competitor with the same price that would allow me to return the lobster, which was the truth.
They said Okay, we'll make an exception. THey happend to have 3 on hand, which is great cuz they usually have 1 if any. I bought one on Friday and it's doing great. Not aggressive towards anything. I'm not sure if he's eating though. He jsut molted last night.
Also, he doesn't like light, but i do see him a fairly descent amount (considering how little every1 else sees theirs).
I'm very happy with my purchase.
I really hope things work out with him .
Thanks for the help. .

 

[globaldesigns]

Originally Posted by natclanwy
http:///forum/post/2865568
I don't know anything about the space requirement for the lobster but I do know that your shrimp will be lunch if you add one to your tank. I believe they will also consume snails and hermit crabs also and to top it off they also eat fish especially small ones like firefish.
Lobsters as a general rule are best left to species only tanks they are very aggressive and probably are only rivaled by mantis shrimp.
I have one and it has never touched any of my shrimp, crabs, etc. However it does hide all the time, very pretty when you do see it, but that isn't that often.

 

[woody189]

Originally Posted by globaldesigns
http:///forum/post/2877613
I have one and it has never touched any of my shrimp, crabs, etc. However it does hide all the time, very pretty when you do see it, but that isn't that often.
That's the thing w/ mine. I see him 75% of the time (at least in the last 3 day). I would hate to give him up.