Spiney Blue Lobster???

Squatch XXL

Well-Known Member
Squatch,We need to get You a supply of fiddler crabs for Kitty. Hermits are pricey. What part of the USA are You located?Here in Florida ,we use them for fish bait and are not that much for a bunch

Fiddlers would be king...or some other free food source. Hermits are $1 a piece. If I see crabs running around the streets of central PA, I got more to worry about than free food.
The lobster just molted! He wouldn't eat so I thought that was what was going on. Checked on him 10 mins later and he was already done! I would of really liked to have witnessed that.

It happens fast, then they may be very shy for a few days while their new shell gets hard. I wouldn't force food. I know with the mantis her jaw needs to get hard as well. This may hold true for other ocean bugs.
 

cracker

Well-Known Member
Squatch You crack me up! I see You have a long ride to the coast. You are right about being shy. I wonder how long it takes a spiny lobster's shell to harden? I will leave that to the Marine Biologists! I offered a little bit of shrimp this afternoon but was refused. Here is a pic of the molt. I plan to mount it
 

cracker

Well-Known Member
Oxy , I missed the article You posted on lobsters feeling pain. I believe that "every" living thing on this planet feels pain in it's "own" way. It's very arrogant of us humans to suggest otherwise just because we don't understand it. Now don't get me wrong. I have no problem catching a nice fish and tossing it in the cooler. After all I'm a human, the top predator on this planet.
On a lighter note. I'll wait until the lobster's ripping and tearing feeding mandibles harden enough to eat again! LOL
 

cracker

Well-Known Member
Hey stir How's it going? How are things op north? Also, my apologies for the earlier tirade, I was rather deep into my cups when I watched the video of the scientist poking the poor octopus, " No response,,no response " ,she said . I was like, Hey lady! Let's put You in the middle of the street, no where to hide and start poking You with some electrical looking prod ! You gonna tell me Your not stressed or in pain? Sorry ,it just pissed me off.
 

cracker

Well-Known Member
Hey Stir, Good to hear all is well up north!. I "think" the confusion is in the term I used about the lobster( taking )a shrimp head. I meant after the molt it took several days before he would eat a shrimp head. I didn't think it would take that long and was starting to worry a bit.
I was worried the lobster would treat the snails and hermits as dinner. So far he has left everybody alone. The extra bioload is a concern to me but otherwise no probs. It was a cool 20$ addition!
 

cracker

Well-Known Member
Folks, I'm sorry to say that Lobster Monster has to go! He ate several of my hermits! I feed him too much and I'm loading the tank with excess nutrients. I have 2 choices, 1st is to take him to the LFS 2nd is to break out the 75 All Glass I have out back and setting it up. I wonder what I should do? Thanks for any Op's specially ones that suggest I setup the 75 ! LOL
 

Squatch XXL

Well-Known Member
Ill give you the same advice that I got when I first started out with my mantis. Estimate and replace the CUC as necessary. I know you dislike crabs due to their untrustworthy nature (It is a real fear). My solution to the problem was to add a few mexican turbo snails and an urchin. The larger CUC members are somewhat more safe.....It still helps to add a few smaller members as they become meals.

You can take the tiger out of the jungle, but you will never be able to take the jungle out of the tiger.

I somewhat enjoy the logic of the reef addicted, and I am no better. We would rather make an excuse to spend hundreds of dollars setting up another larger tank than to spend a few dollars a week on a few snails and hermits.

I am in a similar boat as you. I don't think that my 40breeder is large enough for the 5" long crusty of mine, and have sourced a 3' long 85g tank. It will give her another 1.5 square feet to wander around.

The real challenge now......How to safely catch and relocate. You have a 220gallon?.....this could be fun. Knowing its personality will help you easily catch it......I am still at a loss on how I will be catching Pussy Cat....without getting broken fingers or hurting her in the process. I have a few ideas, but nothing solid.....It is a very fluid situation that will be improvised on the fly. Luckily for us we both should be able to put a 5 gallon bucket into the tank after moving a few rocks out.

BTW, it is still a very very cool critter you have there. The colors and patterns are simply wild. When you set up the "purgatory" tank you will have options to tailor it more for its needs. I am looking forward to a few minor layout changes that may give mine a bit more security to come out and play more often.

Either way, I will be following along with this thread.
 
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