My RIP emerald crab

[chicodelmar]

Hi-

I feel like a for asking, but it still bothers me, especially after going to my LFS and not being able to describe what happened to my emerald crab.

After 2 months or so (in a FOWLR) it started developing some white scum/ cottony/moldy stuff on its shell, on the top of it. At first I thought it was molding, or something got stuck, it was still active and such, and well, after a month it died.

I went to my LFS and he told me my aquarium probably needed calcium. True, it is the one I have not changed water for 4 months. But hey! What can consume calcium so quickly that the poor thing died after 2/3 months?

My feeling is that he would not agree (since I bought everything from him) that perhaps some sort of fungi came with the whole thing and got the best of it.

But perhaps, i am wrong, please, tell me what it could be.

Sorry, i feel like a schmuck, did not take any pic.

[Tate]

What are your parameters and you didn't do a water change for 4 months?

[chicodelmar]

Hi Tate,

pH is 8.3
Am: 0
Ni: 0
Na: 10

Did NOT test for elements.

[TheTodd]

I don't know much about crabs, so I will let the others chime in on that (following along to learn though)...

What I do know is that not doing partial water changes for months on end is not going to work well in saltwater. It borders on amazing that your nitrates are so low after that much time.

[phillytec]

I would recommend having your water tested for trace elements.
There is a ton of debate over water changes, but one thing i can say is if your not going to change your water than you must add supplements for trace elements and alkalinity because they will slowly be drained from your tank.

[chicodelmar]

Originally Posted by phillytec

I would recommend having your water tested for trace elements.
There is a ton of debate over water changes, but one thing i can say is if your not going to change your water than you must add supplements for trace elements and alkalinity because they will slowly be drained from your tank.

Yes, I agree that at one point the trace elements would need some how to be replenished. Although I did not have corals or anything that would consume trace elements that rapidly. Obviously not overstocked, just the live rocks ... but i had live sand, with plenty of crushed shells, which if i am not mistaken would release minerals through the biomineralization process initiated by bacteria.

[chicodelmar]

Originally Posted by phillytec

I would recommend having your water tested for trace elements.
There is a ton of debate over water changes, but one thing i can say is if your not going to change your water than you must add supplements for trace elements and alkalinity because they will slowly be drained from your tank.

Yes, i believe they would need to be replenished at one point. I called a friend of a friend who works at UC Berkeley as an assistant professor in biology. I am hoping to get a better understanding of this ...

thx

[phillytec]

best way to find out is to do a test.
you could send your water to aquarium water testing .com

[chicodelmar]

Originally Posted by TheTodd

I don't know much about crabs, so I will let the others chime in on that (following along to learn though)...

What I do know is that not doing partial water changes for months on end is not going to work well in saltwater. It borders on amazing that your nitrates are so low after that much time.

Well, i have two 10g aquariums, one is 14 mo and the other one 4. The last one has been treated with aquabella bio-enzyme and that's where the crab resided. the other older one with nothing, just regular water change 20% x2/ mo.

I don't have a good recollection of what the older one looked like after 4 mo, but one thing for sure, the water was not as clear as the new one and always had a bit of a nitrate issue.

[chicodelmar]

Originally Posted by phillytec

best way to find out is to do a test.
you could send your water to aquarium water testing .com

have you tried?

[phillytec]

Yes I use them all the time.