Blue Crab? Sand Sifting?

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This is why it is so important to research each and every creature before purchasing it. It is difficult, but we must try to resist impulse buying of marine creatures. It's not fair to them when we get them home and learn we cannot provide their needs. Collectors have no problem, nor do they really care what they collect as long as they can sell it. The more we take animals we should not have, it takes away from what we should be doing..and that is caring about the ocean, and having the utmost respect for it's inhabitants. Buying aquacultured as much as we can, or at least creatures that can be easily kept and won't outgrow our tank.:cool:
 
I don't really see how you could long term unless you were to frequently change the sand with new sand from the beach<<<illegal....:(
He would run out of the organisims he needs to eat.

You don't think the leftover food, detrius, algae and such that accumulates in an established tank will be enough to feed one of these critters? It's a 90Gal tank with 80lbs of sand...I would think as long as he does not have an overabundance of snails and such that it might do well. Whats the difference between this critter and a sand sifting goby? From what I read, they are omnivorous. Eating dead animal and vegetable matter.

Maybe take one back to the LFS and keep one.
 
But if it is a land crab,I don't see how it's going to survive long term submersed. Sandsifting gobies generally do not do well long term either, unless the tank is huge. And, they do not benefit your tank..on the contrary, they eat and remove beneficial organisms from your sand. You want creatures that shift the sand, not sift the sand. The same goes for sandsifting starfish. Another creature I will not sell.
 
My post in keeping it is making a vivarium type display where there was a significant land display with a lagoonal interface. I think it is worth the time and effort and as you said, researched carefully.
 
That would be an interesting display, but I really just don't see how you could provide it with the benthic organisms it needs. It is cute as a button though. I was hoping the news would be it is reef safe and we can all have them...:)
 
But if it is a land crab,I don't see how it's going to survive long term submersed. Sandsifting gobies generally do not do well long term either, unless the tank is huge. And, they do not benefit your tank..on the contrary, they eat and remove beneficial organisms from your sand. You want creatures that shift the sand, not sift the sand. The same goes for sandsifting starfish. Another creature I will not sell.

The Sally lightfoot crab is a land based crab, but actually spends most if not all if its life completely submersed.

I had a Diamond Watchman Goby for almost 2 years before he jumped out of the tank, and he did great, and kept the sand looking new all the time. I also had a Sand sifting starfish which was a cool little guy, but can't say he did great at keeping all the sand turned over, He unfortunitly didn't make it threw my move.

Weather I purchased them for my tank, or someone else does, or no one does. They are already harvested, and if they are going to die, they will die anyway no matter who's tank they are in. So by not buying them at the LFS that doesn't save em.

People also say PBT's shouldn't be harvested yet i have one that's doing great in my tank, had thousands and thousands of others do as well.

None the less, Thank you very much for finding this information out. I looked them up, and they are really neat creatures, even if they don't make it in the aquarium, I'd love to go to the beach in Aussi some day and see em on vacation...

-TheChad
 
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Sure it saves them. If something does not sell, perhaps the LFS won't get them the next time . Eventually it goes back to the collector. If nobody will pay for them, he'll collect something they will.
Weather I purchased them for my tank, or someone else does, or no one does. They are already harvested, and if they are going to die, they will die anyway no matter who's tank they are in. So by not buying them at the LFS that doesn't save em.

-TheChad
 
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