So maybe a million was a bit overkill

[paintballer768]

Originally Posted by Tizzo
http:///forum/post/2629167
I added a BUNCH of sandsifting crabs to my tank yesterday. I got them at the beach.
They pop in and out of the sand and look like popcorn! They are cool to watch, but I am thinking that I added to many, lol.
They really do sift the sand though. I have little divots all over it where they popped out then went back in!
I will keep you all posted on their progress or fatalities.
Is it season for them now? I was at the beach yesterday lookin for some but I didnt have any luck? Youre on the east or west coast?

 

[paintballer768]

And the reason why theyre swimming in and out all over the place, is because I think they prefer the shallow water,and like to move with the food source. I think they like where the waves wash up is because new food is given to them every so often, and they dont really need to move as much.

 

[tizzo]

I'm on the west coast. I went a couple of weeks ago and didn't see any, but they were there yesterday.

I wonder if they really eat phyto...hmmm

 

[candycane]

From what I have seen they will probably eat more detritus then anything. You know where the waves break on the shore and sometimes leave bubbles like a protein skimmer? That is where I tend to find most of them, but I dunno. I just know anything that migrates north, I don't want in my tank, LOL.
Be neat though. Maybe I could throw a couple of blue crabs in there and raise them enough to be around a bushell.

 

[tizzo]

WELL! Here's the scoop and it hasn't even been a week.
They died!
So let's all thank candycane for saving you so much money in shipping, for all that PM'ed me for these little guys.
Day 1 they were active and jumping in and out of the sand.
Day 3 they were trying to swim to the surface- al lot. Not sure if they wanted food, or air. Never really researched but they may be air breathing animals.
Day 5 or whatever today is... no sign of any of them.

Either way, they either suffocated or starved.
They made a nice meal for my nassarius and cleaner shrimps though. Oh well, live and learn.

 

[hlcroghan]

So it sounds like they do needs to be in shallow water with a lot of food available. The temp could be an issue as well. In either case, I won't be adding them to my tank. Bummer to hear though.

 

[tizzo]

Yeah, it sucks, they were awesome little sifters!
Where I found them wasn'r even really in shallow water, it was virtually NO water! Just wet sand that gets waves over it every few seconds. Now I gotta go see what their requirements really are.

 

[mudplayerx]

Originally Posted by Tizzo
http:///forum/post/2629167
I added a BUNCH of sandsifting crabs to my tank yesterday. I got them at the beach.
They pop in and out of the sand and look like popcorn! They are cool to watch, but I am thinking that I added to many, lol.
They really do sift the sand though. I have little divots all over it where they popped out then went back in!
I will keep you all posted on their progress or fatalities.
What beach did you get them from? I brought a few sand sifting crabs, some clams, and some hermit crabs from the Gulf Shores, AL and none of them survived. The tank water was way too warm.
ps- they will dig to the surface when/if they die.

 

[tizzo]

C'mon now mud read the entire thread, lol... (I do the same thing, just skim or skip altogether), anyway, yeah they all died within 5 days.
I tried to research them and the only info I have found was from vendors, and how beneficial they are. Well, now we know.

 

[mudplayerx]

LOL. I'm at work, I gotta read what I can.

 

[candycane]

I would NEVER find them actually in the water unless they were dragged out by the current and trying to get back in. Fact is that they burrow into the sand just above the shoreline. I wouldn't be surprised if they backed up when the tide went out. They are probably even suffocating in the sand until the water oxygenates it. I wouldn't waste my time pulling one apart, but you could almost assume that they have lungs.
Another thing is where they are found. In deeper waters, the water gets colder. Where there is strong motion, the water gets colder. Like when I am burning my feet on the HOT sand and rush to the waters' edge, the sand is usually colder then the temp of the water. If anything I MIGHT find it interesting to build a refugium that is EXTREMELY slow moving with only about 8 inches of sand and have the water run about a 1/4 inch UNDER where the top of the sand is. Then these creatures could POSSIBLY come in handy.

 

[groupergenius]

I've allways called them Mole Crabs or Sand Fleas. Great fish bait but I never tried to keep them alive in a tank. I thought they were more of an isopod than crab.

 

[reefforbrains]

Always great fun to dig up and play with when at the ocean. SHow kids how to find them and they are shocked how easy to catch.
Then you find a BIG one and it freaks you out for the rest of the day.

 

[tizzo]

No way grouper genius! Isopods are ugly and scary! These guys are Soooo cute!
How big is big reef?

 

[reefforbrains]

Say about 2 inch.
Big enough to see the gory details and scare the bejesus out of ya.