Sally Lightfoot Crabs?

[awillemd1]

Does anyone have any experience with Sally Lightfoot Crabs? I purchased one from my lfs on their recommendation that it was an algae eater, however, it only lasted about 4 days. It seemed very healthy the first two days. Would a coral banded shrimp eat it? I found it once with two legs removed stuck to the intake of my powerhead. Then a day later I found the shrimp finishing it off. I'd like to purchase another one, but I won't if it is my shrimp that is killing it.

Thanks in advance.

awillemd1

[reefrunner69]

keep looking, it's quite possible it molted and is not dead. What you saw could very well have been the empty exoskeleton, while the crab is hiding waiting for the new skeleton to harden.

[awillemd1]

I hope you are right , however, it has been over a week. Also, the crab I pulled off of the powerhead with two legs missing was alive. Do they tend to hide? Also, by your reply do you mean that the shrimp wouldn't have attacked it? I have heard the coral banded shrimp can be aggessive to it's own kind anyway.

awillemd1

[reefrunner69]

Do they tend to hide?

Yes Sally's do and all will hide right after molting, that is when they are the most vulnerable, before the new exoskeleton hardens.

Also, by your reply do you mean that the shrimp wouldn't have attacked it?

No I don't mean it wouldn't have, just that it isn't likely.

[awillemd1]

Thank you for your help!

[roblikesfish]

I gotta tell ya tho .. there is nothing more freaky then seeing for the first time a Crab that you thought was dead ended up hiding and molting some where then pop out of know were on your live rock ..

I swear to god when this happened to me he came climbing up on the rock and waved his claws at me. basically stating "yeah I am here, whats up now!"

[fishtender]

I got a sally about a month ago. As soon as I put himin the tank, he started feeding on algae. I was so impressed that I went back the next morning and got the other sally the LFS had. They can supposedly co-exist peacefully. Last weekend I went to the Ciries for the 4H dog show (my son took Grand Champion in Junior Novice Showmanship, give it up) and when I returned home I found that one of the sallys' had lost 2 legs to a violent battle. He was still alive but not feeding well. The next morning, He was missing another leg. I am not sure what was attacking him. I suspect one of my Blue Damsels. They can get pretty testy.

Howard

[awillemd1]

Thanks again. That is all very useful information. I am kicking myself now for not moving him to my hospital tank after I found him injured. I still am hoping he is alive. I will look closely when I get home this evening.

awillemd1