Pom Pom Crab - suspected killer

[dingusplease]

Hello,

I've had a pompom crab and porcelain crab living peacefully in the same tank for many months now, but today I saw my porcelain missing all but one leg, including claws. I also noticed the pompom basically pick up and throw the porcelain off a rock, so it seem the pompom is the most likely perpetrator.

I'm sad about the porcelain, and puzzled about the Pom Pom doing this. Any thoughts on why or how this happened are welcome. Other tank mates include a skunk cleaner shrimp, two sexies, some Nerites, and a Randall's shrimp goby.

Thanks!


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[Mattyfelts]

could it be a bad molt rather than bullying?

 

[dingusplease]

Doubt it, but thanks. It molted a couple days ago, I saw the molt. Any chance he'll recover without those legs?


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[Mattyfelts]

is he walking and eating? or at least getting around? maybe isolate him?


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[dingusplease]

Nope, tried feeding him - no apparent interest. He definitely can't get around with only one leg. If I can find some way to isolate him I'll try!


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[Mattyfelts]

drill some holes in a small Tupperware and that should work. try feeding tiny food with no flow. do water changes and hope he molts soon. he'll grow back the limbs hopefully


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[dingusplease]

Will do. Thanks matty!


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[Mattyfelts]

anytime !


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[BigRedsReefs10]

Sounds like a bad molt, it happens sometimes, the pom pom probably could tel it was weak or dying and just being a crab. Still sucks though

 

[dingusplease]

Yeah, I guess that's the verdict, he died today in isolation . Just can't tell what could have happened, why he tried to molt twice in a week.


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[dingusplease]

Hopefully I'll be able to add some new porcelains to replace him in the 55 - should be cycled by January first!


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[cre8er]

My Pom Pom is not suspect. It's proven killer. Picture attached

In my 14 Biocube I have 1 purple firefish. 1 clown fish and 1 antenna goby with a pistol shrimp. So, I bought Pom Pom, after confirming with the shop that they are shy and hide all the time.
Today, I saw that crab eating my goby.
Now I wonder if I should get rid of him, or get a bigger goby?


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[dingusplease]

I highly doubt that it was your PomPom - everything I've seen since the porcelain died says pompoms are peaceful and shy.

Your crab was just scavenging, which for pompoms is common behavior. To put it ip another way, would you blame your CUC if you saw them all over a dead fish?

 

[Sniperhank]

That IS blaming the clean up crew for the deaths of a fish. It is the whole reason we have crabs. Crabs are opportunistic creatures, a free meal is a free meal.

 

[BLUElobster99]

I highly doubt that your pom pom actively hunted and killed your porcelain. But if you still blame the crab I'll be happy to take that little killer off your hands

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[dingusplease]

That IS blaming the clean up crew for the deaths of a fish. It is the whole reason we have crabs. Crabs are opportunistic creatures, a free meal is a free meal.

I was meaning that you would not blame the cleanup crew if you found them eating a dead fish, because that is their purpose in our tanks - to scavenge. Likewise, I was saying that one should not blame their Pom Pom crab for the death of a fish, since it is unlikely the crab killed it,

 

[dingusplease]

I highly doubt that your pom pom actively hunted and killed your porcelain. But if you still blame the crab I'll be happy to take that little killer off your hands

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Ya I agree, I was just responding to cre8ter about their PomPom crab and fish.

But I do have some killer hydroids you're welcome to have

 

[Khuligirl93]

Bristleworms get their bad reputation the same way. A fish dies, and the worm comes out to eat the carcass. Aquarist sees bristleworm eating carcass and thinks "oh no! Those stupid bristleworms are killing my fish!" When in reality a worm (or crab) is much to slow to catch a healthy fish.


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