Horseshoe crab Help

We just bought our horseshoe crab. He is so cute and playful and has yet to burrow into the sand. We have a 75gal tank and are worried that he will get way too big. Our LFS sold him to us knowing what tank we have. Will he just stop growing when he reaches the largest size he can get in the tank or keep growing to his full potential? Any advice is helpful. We also have 3 chromis, a sand sifting star, and an emerald crab.

Thanks

 

The idea that creatures grow to fit their tank is unfortunately a myth. If it was true we could keep tangs in nanos and rays in 90s. I don't think that a 75 will be able to support a horsehoe crab and it will bulldoze rock structure. IMO, a 75 is just too small for a horseshoe crab.

 

Oh ok we were just talking that when he gets too big for our tank we will see if our local aquarium will take him in. What do you think about that?

 

That sounds reasonable. You just have to be careful about the crabs food source. I'm not a horseshoe crab expert but I think he may clean out his food source reasonably quickly. I hope someone with experience with them or with more knowledge of them will chime in. Good luck with it.

 

we've been searching all over the internet and our LFS gave us some sinking pellets for him. We've read that they eat shrimp and mollusks.

 

As I said I'm no expert on horseshoe crab diet, and if you researched it, you likely know better than I do. Talk to you local aquarium.

 

yeah I think I might call them and ask how they take car of theirs.

 

Unfortunately they have a horrible surviveability rating in the aquarium, if you found one that eats sinking pellets then you may be in good shape but for the most part they usuall slowly starve or burrow into the sand and are never seen again
Here some info I found on Saltcorner and a link to it:
Phylum: Chelicerata
Order: Xiphosura

Horseshoe Crab

Even though this Phylum has nothing to do with crabs, there is one member that interests many marine hobbyists and that is the Horseshoe Crab. Actually, it's not a crab, as it is more closely related to scorpions and spiders. In fact, they have remained unchanged for 350 million years. It is mentioned here only because it is one of the better sand stirrers. Small juveniles, less than six inches (15 cm) are fine for aquariums containing a sandy bottom. Yet, beware, it can attain a size of about 2 feet (60 cm) in the wild. Safe for use in the reef aquarium.

Welcome to Saltcorner.

 

our baby definitely eats pellets she loves them.... unfortunately we found out she is a she and that means she will be even bigger. I called our LFS today and was told that we can also feed her brine shrimp. He also told me (this time) that she could get up to 2 ft. and will reach her biggest size around 9yrs old.

 

I love horseshoe crabs. They are awesome animals. Unfortunately they do get very big and they EAT a lot. They will basically turn your live sand into dead sand, and still starve to death