Hermit Crab and Turbo Snails Dead!! What Happened?

[gigafish]

I will try that cuprisorb for a while before I get a new crab.

Any other suggestions? I know this all started right after my last water change and while I was syphon vacuuming the crushed coral, I shoved it deep down all the way to the bottom of the coral and it pulled out some nasty green color. I wonder if that had something to do with it.

[mistermikev]

wow I must be a genius or at least part swammi. (jk) I have read that once copper can be leached into the glass and only be released at a certain ph threshhold, but have had several trustworthy rc'ers tell me that isn't true. I've read that copper is tuff to test for too... you need a decent kit to get reliable results ( most cheap ones will read 0). I have heard on reefland that cleaning the tank of copper is next to impossible, but on rc they say it will depleat on it's own. Perhaps the recent change in your ph has something to do with it's release, perhaps not. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I would not buy a used setup for this reason. I have also been told that once you introduce copper you will have it in your live rock, and I know that if you do have copper issues your live rock has probably been reduced to dead rock. Unfortunately all the little inverts on the rock are probably affected like the crab. Fish around on rc and reefland and 3reef for other posts on this b4 you do anything. the good news is it doesn't seem to affect fish or corals. If it were my tank, I would get a really good copper test kit and see if I can do waterchanges and get rid of it. I hope this has helped in some small way. Let me know if I can help further. Good luck.

[coral reefer]

inverts are very succeptible to rapid changes in alkalinity, pH, and salinity! It may be that you had a change in one of those that you weren't aware of! The other things that I can think of are the coppersafe mentioned above. May be they starved do to limited food stuff or were attacked by something in your tank!

[mistermikev]

the telltale sign of copper issues (AFA I know) are inverts leaving their shell and dying. That was the tip off. If dude used coper meds - and you used his substrate and/or liverock - that is the problem gauranteed. If you just used his tank it is less likely but still possible.

[mistermikev]

jeez, leweez, whats a guy gotta do for carma around here?!?

[chrisANDbarb]

Originally Posted by gigafish

I was syphon vacuuming the crushed coral, I shoved it deep down all the way to the bottom of the coral and it pulled out some nasty green color.

dont waste your money on a copper test kit. the above quote is your test and it came out positive. if the person you got the tank from has been using copper every month for who knows how long, the copper is bound up in the rocks and substrate. it could take months and months of treating with coppersurb and it still may not get everything out. best thing to do is replace all the rock and substrate, do a few large water changes then run some coppersurb. then in a few months add 1 snail and see how it go's

[gigafish]

Well to put an answer to all of the comments here, first of all, I did find a copper test kit in my box of stuff that I got with the tank. Whether its good or not, it tested at 0. Also something worth mentioning is that my tank is swarming with copepods. I see them all over my black background with a flashlight. If I had a bad copper problem would they be there? I am planning on switching from crushed coral to a deep sand bed so hopefully that will help if there is copper there.

Now, for the weirdest news of my day..... This morning when I found the dead crab I took the body and put it in a cup in the freezer so I could examine it further when I got home. I took the shell and just dropped it back in the tank. Now, lets pause for a minute so I can describe this crab. He was 2 inches wide, not just a small hermit you get for 30 cents. I only had one. When I came home that body was still in the freezer. But....The shell has 4 new legs and two new claws hanging out of it and they are moving. What the Hellz is going on here. I am so confused. I am 23 and turning grey over night because of this guy. Anyone have any input on this extraterrestrial activity?

[morejongg]

Dont know about your snails but, your hermit
crab didnt die.He just went thru a molt., like a cleaner shrimp.

morejongg

[gigafish]

Originally Posted by morejongg

Dont know about your snails but, your hermit
crab didnt die.He just went thru a molt., like a cleaner shrimp.

morejongg

Well, I know for a fact the snails are dead because their empty shells are sitting on my desk. But....The hermit will shed his entire body in one piece?

[morejongg]

yes