Are spiney lobsters terrors in a reef tank?

[dizzy]

We had a medium sized spiney lobster in a 100-gallon tank. We think he killed some Tridacna clams, but hate to blame him he wasn't the problem. Also I sold one to a guy that claimed it ate some of his corals. Has anyone had any experience keeping these finely mustachioed beasts?

 

[Anonymous]

I'd go ahead and boil him and serve him with drawn butter, just to be safe. :lol:

Louey

 

[Contender]

I couldn't resist keeping a Blue Spiny Lobster at one point, because it's colorations were so beautiful....I came to regret this. The lobster was very clumsy and I would often find corals knocked down in the morning. Then he got the habit of taking food directly out of my bubble corals mouth the nights after I had given the coral food. This really upset me, as well as it did the coral which was visibly suffering from it. The lobster would never accept food I gave (my brittle star and other animals would eat the food I placed at night before the lobster ever had a chance). The poor lobster ended up starving to death. Oh well, it actually came as a relief to me. I wouldn't recommend others to get a spiny lobster for their tank. I haven't had any corals knocked down since the lobster passed away.

 

[adamsaquatics]

Too bad about the blue lobster, the one I have eats frozen shrimp out of my hands, never touches my corals, he may eat a snail or two. I really enjoy him in my 150 tall, he's 8" long and his whiskers are 20" wide. He does have to work at getting around the tank. I cement all my corals down, the snails and urchins would otherwise knock them over.