How do you feel about Emerald Crabs? Pros & Cons

[ReefRian]

I'm thinking about getting an Emerald, but would like to hear what you all think or feel and about your experiences with them.

Rian

 

[investigator1]

I had hair algae in my tank. I got an emerald. Now there is not even one thread anywhere. He has not done any harm to anything (Fish, Corals, Pumps, Glass) either.

 

[squeezix]

They eat lots of algae, but they knock everything over in doing that.

 

[Stocker]

I have 2. At first when I put them in my tank, they were mean. They actually got a hold of my yellow tang and tore the @#!% out of it. It eventually died. But once they were in there for a week or so they were fine. They are good for bubble algea as well.

 

[Modo]

I liked the one I had for awhile personality. They are really cool to watch and once established mine would come out all the time. BUT, I hated having to battle him everytime I wanted to feed an LPS. It was horrible about reaching in and yanking out food from the mouths of a Trachyphillia (sp.) and Bubble Coral. But, they aren't any worse than Cleaner Shrimp at doing this though.

One Day I just saw him standing there. He was kinda moving with the current which was weird. So I reached in and poked him to find out he was dead as a nail. I had him for about 2 yrs so I don't know if it was natural or he ate something unusual. Everything else at the time was doing just fine. Does anyone know life expectancy of these things?

 

[Reefguide]

I have always thought they were cool looking. I added one to my tank way in the begining and the damn thing was dead the next day. I recall testing parameters and evrything was fine. Not sure what happened.

 

[Robin Goodfellow]

hi.
A few years ago, I brought 6 or 7 baby T. maxima clams, and they were doing really well. Then one evening, I saw a E. crab push the clams out of rock one by one, then use it powerful claw to pull the clam meat from the byssal opening as the clam shut the shell. I loss all of the clam in two days. :x

 

[danmhippo]

I hate them. I have one rip out tissues on the polyps and I swear that pod population was at minimum when they were in my tank.

Polls like this is the same with asking if people liked having hermits in their tank. Most won't hate them until they have witnessed theirs ripping the tank apart.

 

[Anonymous]

I keep them in my tank till they get too big or destructive then they get traded in or put in the sump. I have one that was fond of ripping up polyps and after numerous molts is about the size of a silver dollar - huge. He lives in the sump of my jawfish tank. I have 2 smallish ones in my 75 gallon reef and they have done a good job on the valonia and some hair algae but I always keep an eye on them for mischeif.