So, where do the strange ocean-dwellers belong on the arthropod family tree? Horseshoe Crabs. Interesting you should mention them. Annika Peacock has asked, What do horseshoe crabs eat? When it is a horseshoe crab! Using their legs, they dig -- primarily at night -- … Sea turtles also eat the eggs and larvae. Despite the ferocious look of the tail, it is not used as a weapon. Crabs can be pea-sized or may grow up to 4 meters in size. In fact, they aren’t even crustaceans.Unlike real crabs and their kin, horseshoe “crabs” lack antennae. What’s This All About?! Horseshoe crabs breathe using book gills, which are thin plates found on the abdomen of the horseshoe crab. Horseshoe crabs are generally nocturnal animals, coming out of the shadows in the darkness in order to hunt for food. Wiki User October 16, 2009 2:26PM. They look like prehistoric crabs, but are actually more closely related to scorpions and spiders. We have been warned never to eat horseshoe crab because eating the wrong organ of the horseshoe crab can make us ‘mabuk’ or get a high. Horseshoe crabs have no jaws or teeth, but they do have mouths. Since they sell it, we try it. When it is a horseshoe crab! When is a crab not a crab? They have a very strong digestive system that permits them to eat fungi, mollusks, bacteria, worms and even other crustaceans, such as shrimp or barnacles. So, hubby and I have hardly touch it. Atlantic horseshoe crab facts, pictures, videos and in-depth information. they eat by benadfoz;cmx. I was just thinking about some of the crazy, zany things I have done to show my children “things” up close and personal. When is a crab not a crab? Thousands of horseshoe crabs (~500,000) are collected by medical industries every year to have their blood drained while the animals are still fully conscious and alive. These ancient animals are more closely related to animals such as scorpions and spiders than they are to ‘true’ crabs.. Horseshoe crabs primarily eat creatures buried in the sediment. For this reason, it is at night when they feed on mollusks, worms, bivalves, and other benthic invertebrates. Will he be contant enough to just eat all the bristle worms I have in there. Horseshoe crabs have been around for more than 300 million years, making them even older than dinosaurs. Crabs are omnivorous, meaning that they will eat both plants and other animals for sustenance. However, many seafood restaurants do display horseshoe crabs in their tanks. Crabs usually eat algae. Excavating the Mystery Whether it’s Safe to Eat Horseshoe Crabs. what do horseshoe crabs eat? Horseshoe crabs, common along the Delaware coast, have evolved little in the last 250 million years. They do have spines along the edge of their carapace, so if you must handle them, be careful and pick them up by the sides of the shell, not the tail. As a result, NutriNeat explains whether it is safe for consumption or not. Horseshoe crabs have five pairs of walking legs, and one additional pair that has been modified into chelicerae -- pincers -- that help bring food to their mouth. Instead, horseshoe crabs use their tails for righting themselves if they are flipped over by a wave. How do horseshoe crabs eat? These crabs, as we mentioned earlier, have nocturnal habits and usually remain buried in the ground throughout the day. The roe of horseshoe crabs is generally consumed although some species may be toxic. Adult horseshoe crabs are preyed upon by sharks, sea turtles, gulls and humans for use as bait or fertilizer. The Fiddler crabs have one large claw on one side. Hermit crabs, King crabs, Horseshoe crabs and Porcelain crabs are not known as true crabs as they do not have 10 legs. What do the Horseshoe Crabs Eat? They feed upon many species of bivalves and lots of different clams. As carnivorous animals, horseshoe crabs only eat meat including sea worms, small molluscs and crustaceans. Instead, horseshoe crabs use their tails for righting themselves if they are flipped over by a wave.