what kind of plants do they need if they need any at all...im assuming most of the tank would have to be set up as a normal saltwater tank, but about how big a tank should i get for a little one.
2006-08-30 11:10:28 · 3 answers · asked by iceheart834 1 in Pets ➔ Fish
A horseshoe crab will grow about 25% larger with each molt. Having said that. My own horseshoe crab was about the size of a quarter when I got him, and now (year and a half later) fits into the palm of my hand. I would suggest a tank at least the size of a thirty gallon breeder, but to maintain the saltwater tank it would require florescent lights, a filter with a bio-wheel that moves 350 gallons per hour, and a live-sand bed that is at least three inches deep. As I have mostly invertebrates in my tank, I turn my filter off for twenty minutes every other day to let the food settle for them. Most horseshoe crabs starve to death in tanks. You would also have to keep a close eye on the water. Dehydration increases the density of salt which is the biggest problem with smaller salt water tanks.
I love watching my horseshoe crab. It does like to go for a daily swim in the tank, and will skim the surface of the water upside down. Like my son's tarantula, it stays in hiding and won't eat for a week before a molt and a week after. I have also had to add more substrate as it grows as the hermit crabs were trying to eat it after the last molt - when the shell was still soft because there wasn't enough sand for it to bury completely.
2006-08-31 03:30:48 · answer #1 · answered by iceni 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A horseshoe crab will require a very large tank with extensive filtration, since they grow to about three feet in diameter and are very sensitive to poor water conditions. They are almost impossible to keep in captivity for any length of time unless you are a professional.
If you're talking about a hermit crab (the ones that live in snail shells), then a much smaller tank would be okay. A simple box filter would be adequate, and you wouldn't need any plants.
2006-08-30 18:18:22 · answer #2 · answered by stevewbcanada 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
horseshoe crabs need an enourmous size tank for long term care they are only scavangers so they will need other fish in the tank to produce waste, and to start the cycle to even keep a horseshoe alive. also these need a sandy bottom and they hide all the time might see them 10 mins a month.
2006-08-30 20:04:52 · answer #3 · answered by reptileking 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋