What Would You Do?

[mlakers]

I was "gifted" a crab who originally came from a brutal pet store setup and subsequently ate the only crab he was placed with in his former home. I named him Hannibal (the cannibal) and hoped that a molt and tons of good protein and calcium would turn him around. He has molted now, and eaten voraciously of the flesh of chicken (and shrimp and fish and even cow), decimated several eggshells, devoured a good portion of cuttlebone and so I moved him from iso into my 55 gallon. He seemed to do well enough with the other crabs. No one particularly liked him, but he seemed to be generally behaving himself. (Digging a lot, which in retrospect, now strikes me as possible marauding raids on molters.)

But by all surface appearances, he was being a good crab citizen....until issues with two recent molters. Someone (I suspect Hannibal) dug up Blue. She was post-molt, but still white and soft (fortunately, I isolated her before there was any damage to her body, but I think he made off with a good portion of her exo). Then Chirpy came up on Halloween, but hasn't been seen since and that makes me a bit nervous given Hannibal's history. After Blue hardened up, I put her back into the community 55 gallon but she was TERRIFIED of Hannibal. He hovered (menacingly?) and seemed especially interested in Blue (guessing she smelled tasty). She did whatever she could to avoid him, quickly leaving any area he was in. Then, he approached the food dish where she was eating and when she saw him (they weren't even close enough to touch antennae) she RAN away. Honestly, I have never seen a crab move so quickly and spastically. It was clearly a terror retreat--she backed up in a frenzy, turned and scrambled over a huge obstacle, raced over the shells in the shell shop and immediately scaled the coco fiber wall and perched at the very top teetering back and forth and literally shaking.

When I saw that behavior (unusual for Blue, who tends to be out and confident during the day) I isolated Hannibal in the ten gallon tank. I hate for him to be all alone, but he was a lone crab (having eaten his only tank mate) when I got him, and he was in iso for six weeks of molting not long ago. The thing is, I could probably move him back now, Blue seems to be getting her mojo back...but I have 4 of my favorites still down molting, plus possibly Chirpy who went back down after first emerging (and hopefully wasn't eaten by Hannibal underground after). I really don't want to risk having Hannibal the Cannibal dig up and/or eat my favorites who are chill and awesome and deserve a peaceful molt. I could wait until they emerge, but some just went down and it could be months. Am I wrong to keep Hannibal in iso for an extended period? I feel like I just can't trust him and I really don't want a Silence of the Lambs situation playing out in my crabitat.

So...if this described conditions in your tank, what would you do?

[landlubber]

I'm so sorry that's going on. I feel for all the crabs. Poor, traumatized Hannibal and poor little Blue, or any other crab Hannibal threatens.

If it were me I would keep Hannibal isolated until all your other crabs are able to hold their own a little better and won't "trigger" him with molting smell and try again then with close observation (as you've been doing-good for you). I hate to say it but some crabs are unable to be part of a colony after what they've been through. I think it's worth continuing to try and get him to bee a good citizen in the tank, but at the lowest risk to the others in the colony and with the knowledge that he might never be fit for polite society, to soften the blow if it doesn't work out.

[mlakers]

Thank you. I think that's where I had "gone" in my mind, as far as a solution, but I feel guilty every time I pass Hannibal in his one-crab tank.

[landlubber]

I feel bad for the little guy and he's not even mine. But your other crabbies shouldn't have to be terrified and in danger because of one crab-which I know you agree with even though it's hard. Poor little Hannibal.

[me n my hermikids]

Do you have any crabs hannibals size or bigger that can hold their own in a brawl? Maybe put a brawny fella in with Hannibal

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