horseshoe crab

[oscar]

I have a a horseshoe crab i bought about 3weeks ago and allhe does is stay under the sand is this normal.

 

[jhnrb]

Carcinoscorpio spp., Limulus polyphemus, Tachypleus spp. (Horseshoe crabs) About 24" long, Eastern Atlantic, Eastern Pacific. 100 gal aquarium or larger recommended, their preferred prey are animals living in a deep sand bed. Will scavenge most meaty aquaium foods. Not suited to most home aquariums. Tend to starve in most systems. They can strip a sand bed of noticeable life, after which they starve. They can easily becomed wedged in live rock formations. Normally not recommended. try some oyster, squid, or clam. I suspect the animal is feeding or worse. hope something here helps.

 

[bkv1997]

yep... thats noral. Wouldn't recommend them though.

 

[Chris]

They get to be extremely big. They are cute when they are small but just wait. Of cousre when he starts to get to big you can sell him back to the LFS.

 

[minireefer]

My guess is will clean out your good critters in your sand bed.
http://monitor.admin.musc.edu/~cfs/butterfly/horseshoe_crab.jpg

 

[graphixx]

I agree with the above, a horseshoe needs a lot of open sand to "graze" they will put a bit dent in the biologicals in the sandbed. and they grow very very quick and get large. they are good for keeping the bed stirred but in the process they will quickly diminish the beneficial organisms in the sand bed