Zoea *successful captive breeding & rearing of C. variabilis

[Nat_addicted to HC's]

Rockygurly - I think your idea of separating them is the way to go, will have to build something specialised with individual compartments for the next shot. Also I think they prefer their own to eat as they are delicate and appear to be easy to rip to shreds there is no preference to the living or dead.
Dried krill seems to be the easiest food source as it doesn't foul the water anywhere near as quick and they do rip into them. Wow they are hungry!
The transition tank experiment was a fail - air stone hose got bumped and was out of the water, no motion in the water = dead megalopae
Over 70 still alive, I had more than I realised, I did a head count as I transferred to the other jar to clean one then split them.
Yikes!!! I've learnt so much

[aussieJJDude]

So sorry to hear about the dead guys...
Poor things... Hope you also ok.

[Careyenz]

Still rooting for you!

[Rocky]

70 stage six babies is still so many, you can do this! (and hey, if anything, dead extra babies=dinner ) maybe try dividers like for betta tanks? And for the hose, if you use a big tupperware container instead of a mini tank for the transition pool, you can poke a hole in it and secure the hose with a zip tie? Or, maybe try putting in a really big rock or something big, solid, heavy and that has a way to zip tie the hose on. I really think that the big difference for the captive bred crabs (and the big challenge) is space, in the wild they have sooo much space, once they get old enough to eat eachother they can get away from eachother. We'd need massive tanks to come close to that.. can you imagine a 55 gallon regular water change?

[wodesorel]

can you imagine a 55 gallon regular water change?

Wouldn't need to change the water as often or as much. Maybe half, two or three times a week.

The only way you could separate them inside of the tank is to use micron screening, which you can buy for various salt-water tank related hobbies. Otherwise you'd need to put them all in tiny cups or something.

[sandra03]

wow the fact that you still have 70+ at this stage. that's really amazing. i'm sure you'll figure something out but yes i'd get those shells in there soon. yikes! what if you do end up with that many making it to land, what to do with them all lol
i'm sure it must be frustrating that there's not a lot of info out there about this, but like others have said you're learning as you go and teaching the rest of us at the same time. very interesting reading through this thread.

oh yeah and I would totally pay more for a captive bred. as much as i don't agree with breeding for things like dogs and cats, in this case it could be really good for the wild populations and hopefully cut down on how many are wild caught for sale as pets.

thank goodness you found the babies in time to save them, what luck, and good on you for putting in the time and effort (and money i'm sure) to give them a fighting chance. i don't know if i could do it

[Nat_addicted to HC's]

Ok so there's not that many left now (went out for tea and few drinks came home to less crabs) ..... though I have a plan , I will update you as per numbers and the plan when Im finished getting it sorted

[aussieJJDude]

Cool! What is da plan ? *in a evil voice*

[Nat_addicted to HC's]

Aha I like da evil voice mr. AussieJJDude!! A shake up is in order! I've been observing their behavour and I believe they are ambush predators! They lay on their backs and anything ie brother or sister that comes along is nabbed and chomped! So rescue the living, split into more jars, thanks to loaning another tank plus shells & more krill, if worst comes to worst its 1 a jar :-/
I have hatched a plan for the next time! I will be building a tank with separate compartments!!!!!
Im not giving up!!!!
Pictures and replies to come...... crazy busy atm trying to get this happening. My husband who is an interstate truck driver even stopped at the pristene ceduna beach & combed for teeny shells xx what a champ! My wonderful mum who knows how much these guys mean to me has been randomly picking up supplies in her travels too!

[aussieJJDude]

Cool!
Maybe you have to do something like a betta condo on a small scale
Congrats on your hubby giving you some extra shells plus your mum for giving you supplies as well!
Can't wait to see pics! Can't wait to see some of them in some shells and I can't wait to see them when they are going onto land for there first moult into a land hermie! Its so exciting!
(Yes I am pretty evil! )

[Nat_addicted to HC's]

shells shmells we want to eat! preferably each other........... ugh

[Rocky]

The cannibalism thing is a big problem But hey, think of it this way, if you get say 2-3 a jar, and you have 15 jars, and one baby eats it's siblings in each jar, you will end up with 15 stronger healthier babies who are better fed, right? Just a thought..
I think cover and live food is in order at this point, although I have no idea what live food we could get them But even a tiny plastic floating aquarium plant could help babies hide from their siblings, and it can just be taken out for water changes easy peasy.
Love the idea with the compartments!

[sandra03]

Yeah some hiding spots might be necessary but yes if they're separated into smaller groups you'll get more survivors hopefully, but hope you can find food they will eat instead if each other. Something squirmy and high in protein I imagine. What about some kind of larva? Eww lol

[Rocky]

Ooh! Babies! Like, mealworm babies! It would probably take you too long for this batch, but my mealworms produced hundreds of teeny tiny worm babies.

[sandra03]

you might be able to get some at a pet store that deals with a lot of lizards and such, they might breed their own feeder insects. i mean they'd die quickly in the water but they just have to squirm long enough for the little ones to find them (and hope they don't just float on the surface)