Decorator Crab....Reef Safe?

[Anonymous]

I have a new 60 gallon tank set up. Right now I have a few shrimp, a tang and clown. I am interested in a decorator crab (maybe because the selection is slim right now), but anyway, I have heard mixed opinions as to whether he is reef safe. Is he? BTW, I have a small polyp and some caulerpa in my tank too, with 40 pounds of live rock, if that matters. Thanks for your help. I just stumbled onto this site last night and I am glad I did. I am sure that I will have a whole lot more questions in the future.

 

[Len]

WELCOME TO REEFS.ORG!

Decorator crabs are generally considered reef-safe, although it should also be noted that no crab is 100% trustworthy. While decorator crabs are detrivores/scavengers, they might occassionally prey on decoractive organisms that people like to have (tube worms, small fish, sometimes polyps). But more often then not, they're beneign.

Again, welcome to reefs.org, the first (and best ) online resource strictly for reefkeepers! You'll find this place can answer 99% of any question you can fathom related to reefs, so don't be afraid to "abuse" this bulletin board Welcome to our happy community!

 

[Reeffreak]

Welcome to Reefs.org

I have had decorator crabs in the past and though they can be quite interesting in attaching items to their back, they can be quite annoying when they take a nice chunk out of your prized leather to do this. I never saw it eat the coral just take a large section and place it on its back. For some reason it would feel the need to chang the decorations every few weeks and that is when I would find another section missing from one of my corals. They can be interesting but I will not purchase another one of these again.

Steve

 

[Reeffreak]

Welcome to Reefs.org

I have had decorator crabs in the past and though they can be quite interesting in attaching items to their back, they can be quite annoying when they take a nice chunk out of your prized leather to do this. I never saw it eat the coral just take a large section and place it on its back. For some reason it would feel the need to chang the decorations every few weeks and that is when I would find another section missing from one of my corals. They can be interesting but I will not purchase another one of these again.

Steve

 

[danmhippo]

For their annoying habit of rearranging your polyps, I do not consider them reef safe.