Can you keep...?

[black_sun]

I was considering finally setting up my 30gal or 50gal for SW after the New Year. Mainly because I've really wanted a Horseshoe Crab and few different species of shrimp, but hadn't really decided on what yet.

Anyway, I was at the ShopRite tonight and I saw something swimming in their lobster tank. It was an eel of some kind (about 2ft in length), it looked very similar to the American Eel (Anguilla rostrata, though I believe that's a FW species?). And then I started looking at the lobsters, and I thought they looked really neat (much cooler than the purple lobsters I see in the LFS all the time).

Could either of these be kept as pets (the eel or the lobster)? The eel, I suppose I would need to have IDed first to see what species it was (unless someone knows what ShopRite sells as "live eel"?) for max. adult size and find a tank accordingly. But the lobster (Homarus americanus), is such a slow grower, I would think that would allow me to upgrade a tank each time with plenty of leeway. Like, I could perhaps buy a small lobster from ShopRite for the 50gal and as it grew over the years, upgrade accordingly? And if so, what size tank would be needed for a full grown adult?

I don't know, neither may be good ideas. But they both just looked really cool. The eel looked so different than all the ones I normally see in the LFS and the lobster, it's like a giant crayfish and I love crayfish, haha. Maybe I should just stick with the Horseshoe Crab idea instead...

But if anyone has any input, kept either, knows any places I can start research on keeping either, etc... it'd be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Yabbadoo]

You get them SW Horseshoe crabs over there??? The ones with blue blood used for medical etc....???? KEWL

 

[Pufferpunk]

PLEASE DO NOT GET A HORSESHOE CRAB! Not only will they starve to death, as they only eat the small creatures in a sandbed, they grow HUGE & need an open sand bed tank (similar to a stingray) of around 10' x 10'.

 

[BIGgourami]

PLEASE DO NOT GET A HORSESHOE CRAB! Not only will they starve to death, as they only eat the small creatures in a sandbed, they grow HUGE & need an open sand bed tank (similar to a stingray) of around 10' x 10'.

they ARE however very slow growers.. but a 30-50 wouln't last long even for a small one, and it'd need basically NO rockwork in the tank

as for the american lobster... one would probably live in a 40 breeder, but they need like 50 degree water and dont really DO anything

the eel would need to be ID'd

 

[black_sun]

PLEASE DO NOT GET A HORSESHOE CRAB! Not only will they starve to death, as they only eat the small creatures in a sandbed, they grow HUGE & need an open sand bed tank (similar to a stingray) of around 10' x 10'.

Well, the small creatures in a sandbed isn't particularly hard to replicate. The 10' x 10' tank, however, not so good. I think the biggest tank I'd be able to get my hands on in the long run is a 500gal. Big enough length wise, but not width. Hmm, bummer. The Horseshoe Crabs always did very well at work and they never had such large tanks (well, did well until they were sold at least... who knows about after that). Then again, we obviously weren't in it for the long, long run with them.

they ARE however very slow growers.. but a 30-50 wouln't last long even for a small one, and it'd need basically NO rockwork in the tank

as for the american lobster... one would probably live in a 40 breeder, but they need like 50 degree water and dont really DO anything

the eel would need to be ID'd

Yea, I just want the 30 or 50gal as a starter tank. But if Pufferpunk is right, even the largest tank I could get wouldn't be big enough for one. Meh. Bummer, that bites. All the websites I was finding said my 115gal would be large enough in the end. Ah well, that endeavor bites the dust.

Would the 115gal be large enough as an end result to the upgrades for the lobster? And the temps not an issue, I have to drop my Orconectes tanks lower than that during breeding season... it'll just be one more cold tank to make me shiver. Though, would I need a different kind of chiller for a SW tank (or would one from one of my FW tanks work just the same)? And yea, they don't do a lot... but neither do crayfish (unless they're hunting lol). And I love those more than anything!

If I take a pic of the eel through a supermarket tank, think anyone could ID it? They're not the clearest of tanks and I don't think the employees are going to help me get a picture unless I buy it... and I'm not particularly in the mood for Unagi/Anago (and I'm sure the eel isn't either lol).

 

[black_sun]

You get them SW Horseshoe crabs over there??? The ones with blue blood used for medical etc....???? KEWL

Ja, most websites sell them (or at least, the ones I frequent). And all the LFS have them in every couple of months around here. One place where I work part-time had a tank with a few of them for like 7 months. Man, I loved them... they were my favorite thing in the whole store. And then someone finally bought them *shakes fist in anger* ...damn that man, took away my favorite lil' critters.

On the bright side, the bossman is ordering in Cherax preissi for me!

 

[Yabbadoo]

On the bright side, the bossman is ordering in Cherax preissi for me!

Son of a beach.........I'm still trying to track more down....

 

[black_sun]

Son of a beach.........I'm still trying to track more down....

Haha, yea I was really surprised. We were going through some of the crayfish webpages I have and he pointed to a picture of a Cherax preissi and said "Hey, we used to get those in here a lot when we still carried crayfish regularly." I nudged him to death and he said he'd order some in for me along with some other species. I can't wait! *dances*

Is the store that you got yours from not getting any again anytime soon?

 

[Yabbadoo]

LOL......they're getting the sheets with me because I'm hasseling them over & over.... Still no luck.

I have a new contact that has them. She's just had a heap of bubba Preissii's & I'm trying to get a few of her.......fingers crossed....

 

[black_sun]

Alright, I found out that the eels were Anguilla rostrata. I thought those were primarily freshwater, save when they spawned? So, are they SW or FW? And do they require the same conditions as the lobster?