OK, I brought home a littlle red loblster with purple claws.

[dmm32]

HI,

I would like to know if there are any reef safe lobsters, this one is orange with purple claws and little hair all over him. I am not putting him in my reef until I find out, I will keep him in my 55 gallon sump.

David

 

[Anonymous]

Without a pic it's hard to say for sure but it sounds like an Enoplometopus debelius which is a reef lobster. They are reef safe and they will accept most foods and feed primarily on small crustaceans in the wild.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[DeathWish302]

daividmohr:

If they feed on small crustaceans, wouldn't that alone make them unsuitable for a reef? What types of crustaceans do they consume?? Just wondered??

DW302

 

[Anonymous]

Originally posted by DeathWish302:

If they feed on small crustaceans, wouldn't that alone make them unsuitable for a reef? What types of crustaceans do they consume?? Just wondered??

Well without a pic or more info one of the most common lobsters that matches your description in the Aquarium trade is the one I mentioned. As they only reach about 4" in length the are mostly pod predators though as I said they will eat most aquarium fare, therefor they will act as part of your cleanup crew.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[dmm32]

Davidmohr

Thanks, I found a picture of the the lobster,(Enoplometopus debelius)it is the one that I have. The reading come from the Modern aqurium volume 3. It says they are reef safe, but I am a little slow about putting him in the main tank,but it is tempting.

David

 

[Mouse]

These lobsters are reef safe but only in considration to corals. They will probably try and eat shrimps etc but should leave snails and hermets alone. Be sure that all of your rockwork is incredibly secure as they do like to move rocks around. Not too bad when its only an inch long but these can get to a 7 inch size without any problems and subsiquently move comparibaly large rocks. So just make sure it doesnt turn your reef to rubble and you should be fine.

 

[scavdog]

My buddy just got one of these guys. He has him alone in a 20 gallon cause he met my friends coral banded srimp and gave him a hair cut.

Close call, as the shrimp only lost a feeler.

 

[Mike02]

i once had a very small red lobster that killed everything that moved except for the fish and hermit crabs. this lobster was about 2" long.

 

[Jason Day]

I too bought a little reef lobster on word from the local fish store that it was reef safe. Well he hasn't hurt my corals or snails or fish but I've notices my starfish recently having their legs chewed on at the tips. My brittle star gets his tips pinched off.

Sooo when I upgrade my tank into the sump the little monster goes. One side note is that he always hides so you don't get the benefit of seeing him scurry around.

In the sump I should be able to observe him bettor.

Jason

 

[Hammer]

I adopted one from my wife's tank. About the only thing he did was take out a small peppermint that was molting (but that was in her 29 gallon). Right now he has dug himself a shelter under one piece of LR, and co-inhabits it with a serpent star.
At first I was leary of this situation, especially when found a good morsel of food I was feeding, and they started to fight over it. After close observation, they never harmed each other, and they now share their food as long as it is big enough.

Still quite a little show some times when I feed them.