Sally Lightfoots - aggressive?

[Playdope]

Are Sally Lightfoot crabs predatory? Will they nail hermits, shrimp, or snails? Just got mine eating a Scarlet reef hermit, but not sure if it died before the Sally Light started eating it.

Saltwaterfish.com listed them as peacefull... so I trusted that.

Also been wondering - do Sally Lightfoots or Emerald crabs eat coralline algae. I'm not sure if some of my coralline has started disappearing because I added them, or because I started turning my lights on.

 

[nice1bruva]

i think we all take a chance with diferent types of crabs in our systems.
with sally lightfoots as with emeralds you just need to keep a close watch and if they cause any damage confine them to a sump/fuge or trade at lfs.
good luck!!

 

[Playdope]

Whats the easiest way to catch a sally lightfoot?

 

[Anonymous]

I did it like this some years ago.
I dropped a grouper in there (didn't have any small fish at the time).
The grouper ate the crabs within 10 minutes.
I then fished the grouper out with a line and hook. I was very carefull not to gut hook the grouper when I caught him.



Jim

 

[Tarasco]

When I had to remove mine, I put some food in a clean plastic jar, tied a string to the top of the jar, and dropped it in. Had to try this a couple times before the lightfoot went for it. Then, pull it up.

 

[hopdude]

My guess is that the hermit was already dead. I've had sally lightfoots for 3 years. They don't seem to bother anything. They will eat fish, snails and crabs if they are already dead, though. I don't think they will eat coralline algae. They also won't touch cyano (darn it).

 

[Anonymous]

All crabs shouldn't be trusted(including hermits)IMO. They are like flame angels. One out of 5 are reef safe IMO(maybe less). My sally kept clipping the tails of my fish.

 

[iisaacs]

I have just had to catch my two sally lightfoot crabs from my tank as in the last couple of days it has taken care of 1 peppermint shrimp some snails, a hermit crab and a clownfish none of whom where dead when taken. As previously posted you take your chances with them, I was unlucky

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

the one I had used to harrass my wathcman goby constantly. It would hang out near the entrance to the goby's tunnel and try to grab it when it poked it's head out.

They do an incredible job of algae munching, but I'll never have one again because of their agressive tendencies when they get larger.

 

[LA-Lawman]

I had sally's and they like to eat small fish.... these guys were bad. i had a small school of green chromis (7fish) they desimated them..... I tore my whole tank apart and still had trouble getting them... so i recommend two things....


a .45cal Glock, H&K, SIG, or smith.....
or a nice big flame hawk. that will fix that there problem pardner!

 

[spsmike]

I did it like this some years ago.
I dropped a grouper in there (didn't have any small fish at the time).
The grouper ate the crabs within 10 minutes.
I then fished the grouper out with a line and hook. I was very carefull not to gut hook the grouper when I caught him.



Jim

That sounds like too much fun! :lol: