Emerald Crabs
- Thread starter Janet
- Start date
I have one that is the size of an oblong half dollar, and he is ripping off chuncks of my coralline, and lets just say I am short of ripping down my tank to catch him, missed twice.
When I catch him, its off to the sump.
My other little one is great.
When I catch him, its off to the sump.
My other little one is great.
Janet, I have had 5 Emerald crabs in my 2 tanks for over a year. I have not seen them eat or pick at anything bad yet. They eat valonia. Two of mine have gotten very large and turned white. I have caught one sitting at the top of 1 of my gorgonians a few times early am when the lites are out, but as far as I can tell he isnt eating/picking.
Well, I'm convinced. I am going to leave the two E. crabs where they are for the moment and just observe. I really like the little guys but one of my female manderins has a hole in one of her fins and I thought she could have had a run in with the crab. Thanks for the comments!
Janet
Janet
I had one hanging in my blue tipped staghorn trying it out for dinner within 7 hours of putting it in my reef. I would not have worried if I had not seen him actually pick at it and bring somethign like a polyp to his mouth. The coral had a heavy mucous string going, a sign that he was quite bothered. I moved the crab to my 40g reef that is primarily softies and one lps coral. There is plenty for him to munch on and I don't have to worry about him now.
You should do a search on the board, just put in Emerald crab and you will get lots of stories, both good and bad.
You should do a search on the board, just put in Emerald crab and you will get lots of stories, both good and bad.
Hi,
Funny this topic should come up (though it often does). I just brought a massive Emerald Crab to the LFS because i caught it litterally ripping my
featherduster population to thread and immediately after that it began ripping off polyps from my Parazoanthis gracilis colony.
This, after two months and a seemingly 'safe' crab molted from a medium sized Mithrax to a full blown Incredible Hulk. It was massive. I'd say the body section alone was the size of a half dollar and the claws were at least an inch long. It's wingspan was at least 6 inches. Bottom line, it molted into a tubeworm-shredding, polyp- tasting green monster.
I'm glad I had the immediate oppertunity to ctach and remove it before the real damage occurred...
Todd
Funny this topic should come up (though it often does). I just brought a massive Emerald Crab to the LFS because i caught it litterally ripping my
featherduster population to thread and immediately after that it began ripping off polyps from my Parazoanthis gracilis colony.
This, after two months and a seemingly 'safe' crab molted from a medium sized Mithrax to a full blown Incredible Hulk. It was massive. I'd say the body section alone was the size of a half dollar and the claws were at least an inch long. It's wingspan was at least 6 inches. Bottom line, it molted into a tubeworm-shredding, polyp- tasting green monster.
I'm glad I had the immediate oppertunity to ctach and remove it before the real damage occurred...
Todd
Hi Todd,
Yikes!! I had no idea. I have been watching mine very closely for a couple of days and have decided he is deffinately the little bugger that put a hole in one of my female madarin's fin. I am moving him to another tank today and I am sure he will be just as happy and I won't have to worry about it anymore. Thanks for the input.
Janet
Yikes!! I had no idea. I have been watching mine very closely for a couple of days and have decided he is deffinately the little bugger that put a hole in one of my female madarin's fin. I am moving him to another tank today and I am sure he will be just as happy and I won't have to worry about it anymore. Thanks for the input.
Janet
I bought a pair of penny sized emerald crabs the other day for my 37 gallon.
Things they've actually eaten:
Green hair algae
Caulerpa
One of them grabbed a button polyp, but quickly lost interest. They've also been eating some of my red bubble algae but I'm not sure if it'll be enough to make a difference.
Ty
Things they've actually eaten:
Green hair algae
Caulerpa
One of them grabbed a button polyp, but quickly lost interest. They've also been eating some of my red bubble algae but I'm not sure if it'll be enough to make a difference.
Ty
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr> I have one that is the size of an oblong half dollar, and he is ripping off chuncks of my coralline, and lets just say I am short of ripping down my tank to catch him, missed twice.
When I catch him, its off to the sump. <hr></blockquote>
Why are you so worried about coraline growth? It is not beneficial in and of itself, but more is an indicator of good tank health.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote
Mine are valonia eating machines. Personally I have had little problems with mine. They are somewhat opportunistic, and will eat anything that has died or any excess food that makes it to the bottom of the tank.
They do pick at things to try the taste. They prefer macro-algaes, and usually if there is plenty in the tank they will munch mostly on that. I grow caulerpa in my sump and I transfer cutting to the main tank. My mithrax and sally lightfoot crabs love the stuff.
When I catch him, its off to the sump. <hr></blockquote>
Why are you so worried about coraline growth? It is not beneficial in and of itself, but more is an indicator of good tank health.
<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote
Mine are valonia eating machines. Personally I have had little problems with mine. They are somewhat opportunistic, and will eat anything that has died or any excess food that makes it to the bottom of the tank.
They do pick at things to try the taste. They prefer macro-algaes, and usually if there is plenty in the tank they will munch mostly on that. I grow caulerpa in my sump and I transfer cutting to the main tank. My mithrax and sally lightfoot crabs love the stuff.
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