an emerald crab breeding project

[monkeypie102]

So I'm planning to do a breeding project with emerald crabs... I want to see if I can successfully rear them from their larval stage... I will have some questions though as I've heard its near impossible but some have said its possible to bring aspects of breeding peppermint shrimp over to emerald crabs...

So here is the hack cocked plan I've got so far...
Buy a 20 gallon kit from walmart with the led hood
25lbs base rocking and seed with my largest rock in my 26g (I want to avoid any and all possible hitch hikers so I planned to use base rock as its garenteed safe )
20lbs sand... I'll use agrgonite sand no live sand

If I can figure it out I want a sump 20 gallon as well...

I don't plan for any corals for it'll be 100% fowlr which is why I want the led kit since lighting doesn't matter

Though I do want bubble algae in this tank... more the better... I know it sounds wired but its basically a great food for them and I know the crabs will go nutty for it... though I do have a few questions...

Filtration I know is the rocking but should I add a couple hobs instead of power heads to protect the larvae or would they be fine?

I need pristene water conditions so I need a type of protein Skimmer that would fit on a 20 gallon I case there is no fuge/sump...

Are there any reactors I'd need for whatever reasons?

How the heck would I change out water and not suck up any larvea?

Now for the biggest question... what should I feed that the platonic sized larvae can eat? I read on show (I kinda hate them but didn't notice the sites name til I clicked) said to grow bubble algae and the platonic and larvae stages will feed in it as well though it confuses me as to how they do if they are free floating :/

Ah and how often would I have to feed?

 

[monkeypie102]

Does anyone know if coral food would be small enough for platonic sized crabs? I'm not 100% sure... I know I'd have to get some regardless so I figured it could be.worth a try but I'm drawing blanks and I'm having issues locating answers since it seems no one has tried to rear emeralds...

 

[Mike]

If they are similar to raise as peppermint shrimp, a good book you should get is How To Raise & Train Your Peppermint Shrimp by April Kirkendoll. I have it and liked reading it. It is short and to the point. She sets up her nursery in a 20 gallon with about 6 inches of water from the parent's tank with just an air stone for circulation and a light. She then feeds the young brine shrimp with varying brine shrimp sizes as the young shrimp grow.

Not sure on the nutritional aspect of feeding them the coral food or if they would even go after it.

 

[monkeypie102]

Thanks for the book I'll be sure to read it if there is an book version

I have no idea what they would eat I'm running off the theory that they are like the adults and are omnivoirs... so my plan right now is to get

Zooplankton, phytoplankton, rotifers, and oyster feed and mix them together when I go to feed...


Since petsmart if having a sell on their tank $2 per gallon with light and hood I'm going to get a 20 gallon it'll save me the price I was planning to pay for a 20 gallon by like half the cost! I'll by more salt and my lfs has some Texas holey rocking for $3.99 per pound... I plan to buy a couple of the largest rocks and drill some holes in them with my dads drimle... my goal is to have 5-6 caves per crab so 35-45 caves to hide in... I also plan for about 30lbs of rocking in the end.... so I should have plenty of hiding spots! The young will be raised with the parents till they are penny sized or dime... idk yet... ill get to that if I'm successful!