Horseshoe crabs good or bad

[Gottcha]

Are they good for tanks or do they destroy live sand by eating everything in
it?

[Rikko]

On Wed, 23 Jun 2004 03:45:44 GMT, "Gottcha"
> wrote:

>Are they good for tanks or do they destroy live sand by eating everything in
>it?

From Reef Invertebrates by Calfo & Fenner:
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0967263034/qid=1088060241/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/102-0817248-1210556?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
- buy it, it's amazing)

"[...]by virtue of its adult size, (easily approaching 12 inches/30cm)
and feeding habits, it is all but unsuitable for all but the largest
aquariums. Horseshoe crabs need vast planes of deep, fine sand in
order to thrive. [...] restless foraging habits of this creature every
night agitates sand and sediments and can cause serious problems with
water clarity [...]"

There are more references in the index about them but I didn't check
just what those feeding habits are, though I believe they are quite
ferocious and not terribly reef friendly.

[John Krempasky]

"Rikko" > wrote in message
...
> On Wed, 23 Jun 2004 03:45:44 GMT, "Gottcha"
> > wrote:
>
> >Are they good for tanks or do they destroy live sand by eating everything
in
> >it?
>
> From Reef Invertebrates by Calfo & Fenner:
>
(http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0967263034/qid=1088060241/sr=
8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/102-0817248-1210556?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
> - buy it, it's amazing)
>
> "[...]by virtue of its adult size, (easily approaching 12 inches/30cm)
> and feeding habits,

12"? A wild understatement. I fish a lot, when they're spawning in Delaware
Bay they're a real pain, and they EASILY get to two feet long.

Definately have no place in any home aquarium other than some 1,000-gallon
temperate tank.

[Pszemol]

"John Krempasky" > wrote in message ...
> 12"? A wild understatement. I fish a lot, when they're spawning in Delaware
> Bay they're a real pain, and they EASILY get to two feet long.
>
> Definately have no place in any home aquarium other than some 1,000-gallon
> temperate tank.

And they look so innocent when sold in LFS sized 1-2" :-)

[Kevin & Donna Sanders, M.D.]

They are bulldozer fossils like having a breeding pair of cichlids in a
fresh water tank



"Pszemol" > wrote in message
...
> "John Krempasky" > wrote in message
...
> > 12"? A wild understatement. I fish a lot, when they're spawning in
Delaware
> > Bay they're a real pain, and they EASILY get to two feet long.
> >
> > Definately have no place in any home aquarium other than some
1,000-gallon
> > temperate tank.
>
> And they look so innocent when sold in LFS sized 1-2" :-)