I Accidentally Killed My Emerald Crab

[Rcpilot]

:bye2:

I feel AWFUL.

I bought this emerald crab to eat some nasty algae in my 30g DT. I had some kind of AWFUL "turf" algae that was tough as nails. Nothing would eat it. I dropped this 1/2 dollar-sized emerald crab in my tank and he ate that turf algae in a few weeks. I was so happy. :bounce:

This little guy quickly cleaned all my rocks off and I now have a nice algae-free DT.

I tried to pry him out of a rock with some hemostats last night and I crushed him accidentally.

 

[JohnnyBoy]

That sucks. I killed my horseshoe crab by mistake one time. It just means that it's time to get to the LFS for a new pet!

 

[yote]

Just how in hell did you crush it with hemostats Rc?Those lil crabs are hard as a rock.
Hate to hear you killed it though,especially since THEY do a great job on the turf.

 

[Rcpilot]

I snuck up on him from behind and snatched onto him with the hemos. These are big hemos. About 14" long, so they are quite powerful if you do squeeze hard.

I had him right in the middle of his body on what I thought was going to be the hardest part of his shell. The thickest part--right between his legs on his body. He started digging down into the sand and he got latched onto a rock and he just hung on.

I was pulling HARD and I couldn't even budge him. He was WAY stronger than I thought. He had all 6 of his legs stuck to a rock and he was getting away. I was trying to wiggle the hemos back and forth to break his grip and he was just digging in harder.

I started slipping and loosing my grip so I began to squeeze harder and tug on him really good when his shell just collapsed in the jaws of the hemos.

I crushed him in the blink of an eye. :yikesu:

I feel so bad. I murdalized my little emerald and he was such a good algae eater. Didnt let the kids on yet. I'm going to buy a new one and put it in the tank. I can't bare to tell them I killed Mr Crabs. This is worse than losing a fish or a coral to disease or poor water parameters. I had a direct "hand" in his death and it's eating me up.

 

[Bifferwine]

I'm sorry to hear about Mr. Crabs :cry:. I know there's nothing I can say to make you feel better about it.

 

[Rcpilot]

I just wanted to take him out and put him in the 5g tank with the 6-line wrasse. That tank is overgrown with turf algae and I know he would have eaten his fill in that tank.

I was just trying to give him something else to munch on because he had eaten all the algae in the larger 30g DT. He was starting to come out in the daylight and forage for scraps of food, so I assumed he was really hungry since he'd eaten all the algae in that tank.

My good intentions were met with total disaster. If he'd got caught in a powerhead or climbed out of the tank and died it would be okay.

But I CRUSHED him. I killed him. :frustrat: Farking sucks.................

 

[yote]

With 14" hemos,you could have chipped the apart around him.Those things are stout though.Last weekend,mine got a hold of my hand(little thin strip of skin between thumb and index finger)Didnt feel good at all.He was latched onto a rock and wasnt turning my hand loose.Nearly pulled the whole rock pile over.

 

[JohnnyBoy]

What ya planning on getting? Another Emerald?

 

[Rcpilot]

I HAVE to get another emerald so the kids won't know I killed Mr Crabs. Right now they just think he is hiding--nothing out of the ordinary for him to hide. They were looking for him tonight and I just about lost it. I had to go out back and take some deep breaths or I was gonna bust up and bawl my head off. Can't forgive myself for killing him and REALLY can't tell the kids.

I HAVE to buy a new one tomorrow and slip it in the tank when they are outside playing or swimming at the pool.

 

[JohnnyBoy]

Oh man, there's kids involved You definitely need another Emerald. Mr. Crabs......that's awesome. That's what I'm going to name my first crab LOL.

 

[Rcpilot]

What can I say?

My kids are SpongeBob addicts. :mrgreen: