can anyone help me figure out my emerald crabs issue?

#1
Ive had my emerald crab for a few months now. I know they require a good amount of food to eat, and yes my tank is low on algae so i make sure to give him a fair sized piece of dried seaweed once a day. The issue i am having tho, is for the last couple weeks he has a hard time staying up right. He barely ever moves around anymore. His color is still great, even tho he is a ruby red emerald crab. He is my favorite emerald crab for the fact he is red. But what is causing him to have a hard time using his back legs and staying right side up? I havent been able to find anyone yet who has ran into the same issue. Hes alive, he is always happy when i bring him food. I just want to make sure that he gets through whatever is wrong with him. I have a female green chromi in my 65 that once had a swim bladder issue, and had the hardest time getting around through all the current. She did eventually heal and is swimming around just fine now. I am wondering if this could be the same issue with him. If anyone can help me figure it out, i will greatly appreciate any advice i can get. I have a cleaner shrimp, 2 hermits a blue knuckle and a blue leg. And a couple banded trochus snails and a turbo snail along with the emerald in my 20. And everyone else is just fine. Im not sure what to do outside of just caring for him and seeing what happens. My main concern is figuring out what this issue is, and be able to share with others that may run into this issue and how they can handle things. Especially since this doesnt seem to be a common issue as i cant seem to find any info on it. Thanks everyone!
 

Jeremiah

Tang
M.A.S.C Club Member
#3
Not much you can really do. I would say make sure your levels are good. Do you keep up on water changes? That will keep the trace elements like iodine that they need to molt in your tank.
 
#4
Yes, i do a 10% change every week. I kent dosing products currently. I use the tech iodide every couple weeks as its directed. I need to invest in an iodine tester as that is the only one im lacking on. My rock flower is doing awesome tho, and i know the need a good ammount of iodines also. Checked with fish crew, they werent sure, may just be a special crab for a while and just take care of things as usual. Lol, its frustrating when no one really has seen the issue before. But is nice as its one thing i can hopefully share with others and add to the aquarium world of knowledge
 

jda123

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#6
Get it some meat. They are omnivores in nature and will eat just about anything. Get it a mysis every so often. They should be scavenging for leftover pellets or flake.

Stop dosing the I unless you can test for it. Your water changes will introduce enough back in. I is a halide and every bit as dangerous as chlorine or bromine in higher concentrations.

Are you using a high quality reef grade salt? Some salts are higher in tin and metals that can be bad for inverts over time. Unfortunately, some of these salts are very common in the area.

Pay attention and see if you can find a molt soon. Do you know the last time that it molted? That is usually a sign of good health.
 

jahmic

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#10
What's your magnesium level? Elevated magnesium levels can have a detrimental effect on the signalling pathways in snails and other inverts. Snails start falling off the glass, and crabs and shrimp can become disoriented if the level is kept high enough for an extended period of time.

Agree with jda on the Iodine dosing and potential for metals in some salts. I know at least one of those salts that typically has extremely high magnesium levels...which has caused similar issues in the past for me.
 

jda123

Dolphin
M.A.S.C Club Member
#11
I don't think that Red Sea is a step up over Reef Crystals.

The won't usually molt more often than monthly and sometimes longer. It doesn't matter when they do as long as they do it regularly... there is so many variables. If you do see a molt, then that is good. If you don't, then you don't know, but it is still probably OK.
 

Balz3352

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#12
jahmic;332876 said:
What's your magnesium level? Elevated magnesium levels can have a detrimental effect on the signalling pathways in snails and other inverts.
Theoretically all animals are affected by high mag.... Just inverts and snails have less of a reserve. But I digress

Again I agree don't add unless you test. I have seen that my water changes keep things high enough. Without dosing. I think this would hold true unless you were sps heavy or had a huge clam....
 

Miah2bzy

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#14
B-Rizzle0279;332905 said:
Ok, thanks for all the info, I'll double check things on in once I'm home.
Mine got real lethargic right before molting and I also saw an increase in activity when I started using sinking pellets. I also fed it pieces of shrimp when I fed my nem.
 
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