Vicious E and no more PPs

[aldebaron0626]

So I was hoping I'd have more luck with Es than other super experienced crabbers here. (Read that in a sarcastic voice). It looks like both of my PPs were eaten, possibly during their molt. The first I found just tail near exo and the shell. I found the second today under a hide, just tail, nothing else, no shell. I am debating about whether to give up on Es and adopt mine out to someone more experienced or just keep the two, at least one of whom is a murderer, and move them to a larger tank as soon as possible. Reserving the smaller tank for docile PPs and my possible new adoptee of an unknown species.

Should I adopt out the Es or hold on for larger tank? They at least haven't eaten each other through two successful molts (first successful molt in dangerous conditions--5.5 gallon, 3-4" calci-sand).

I always keep protein in tank, dried shrimp, egg, peanut butter, ground beef or turkey, whatever I'm preparing for the humans.

I guess I could just ISO the Es from now on when someone heads under for a molt assuming I can't get the larger tank and keep two tanks.

Substrate is 8-9". It's a 28 gallon hex so smallish footprint (but it's more than twice the footprint of my 5.5...).

[gotta-crab-em-all]

I am so sorry you're experiencing this too :c

When I had this problem I decided to separate my Es and my PPs, and ended up rehoming the friendly Es and keeping the killer (I didn't want to give somebody else a crab that would kill their's). I decided to keep him alone, which was not a decision I took lightly but I couldn't keep offering up crabby feasts to him. He lasted a few months, came up from a molt missing a leg, and died. I don't know if his death was related to being alone or because there were days where the entire house couldn't be heated and his tank got too cold. Maybe there was something else wrong. There's no way to know for sure :c

If the Es seem okay with each other, I would keep them together and get a new tank if you intend to get more PPs - but keep an iso ready just in case one E turns on the other. I personally wouldn't feel comfortable adopting out killer crabs, but there have been successful adoption stories where the Es stopped being aggressive in a new environment without any obvious reason. If you do decide to adopt them out, be sure to let the adopter know that they have a rap sheet!

[aldebaron0626]

I don't know who the killer is. I suspect Buzz. I'd definitely give full discloser if I do decide to re-home them. What gets me is the two Es molted together in a 5.5 with 3-4" sand and both survived and didn't eat each other. They went down a week apart and I heard Buzz (2nd) digging around tank for a while before settling down and heard Bullseye (1st) digging around a few days before I finally caught him topside. They now have 3x the footprint and 3x the substrate!!! My husband doesn't think that we necessarily have a killer crab he thinks something could have just gone wrong. I'm not so convinced but I didn't catch anyone in the act. I did see Buzz in the area of the first dead crab before the actual death (I thought it was Buzz who died until I went digging). And with no shell and only one crab topside it could be Bullseye's remains I found. I did see him a couple days ago, so I doubt it is him.


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[gotta-crab-em-all]

I think some people have said their Es only seem to attack PPs, but I could be wrong. My case wasn't like that; he attacked indiscriminately. The only crabs he killed were PPs, but he ripped limbs off of another E and then attacked the same E again later. He didn't kill every crab he attacked, but he did kill 2. He seemed to target two specific crabs with the non-lethal attacks.

Hopefully you wont find out first hand which crab is killing, if that is what's going on here. In other words, I hope your troubles are over :c Keep an eye out just in case.

[aldebaron0626]

Thanks.


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[aussieJJDude]

It could be to the lack of space. You mentioned that the tank you have now, even though is quite big, still only has a small footprint. I think if you had the chance to upgrade to a bigger tank - like a 29g tank - you may notice a change in behaviour.
However, in saying that; mixing species is a hit or a miss. Sometimes it works, other times it not what you imagined. It is up to you - the owner - to decide what is your back up plan if something doesn't turn out and also what the best course of action - separate/upgrade ect..
I am sorry it didn't turn out!
:grouphug:

[aldebaron0626]

I'm thinking footprint is issue. It does have nearly the same area as a 15gal. I'm trying to talk my husband into a 40B my mom has that I set up for her Crabs. She went back to a smaller tank, though.


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[aldebaron0626]

Something may have also gone wrong at least with one of them and the E was just an opportunist.


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