Are emerald crabs good for a tank?

[Zbatey]

Are emerald crabs good I've heard that they can eat things you don't want them too and are they worth the buy?

I also wanted to know about cleaner crews. I have a ninety gallon reef and would like to know what to get and how many

 

[PrettyFishies]

Emeralds always seem to die in a couple if months on me. They can be hard to keep.

 

[Purevil21]

Mine didn't make it, my nitrates went nuts so I don't know that I can say they aren't hardy. He never bugged anything, and ate a TON of hair algae. Plus they are dirt cheap. I will give it another go eventually.

 

[classklown90]

ive had mine about a week so i cant comment on hardiness but he does leave everything alone, rarely seen.

 

[Zer0]

I had mine for a couple months before i tore down my tank. I love emerald crabs.

 

[mr_X]

i have kept them in many tanks. i notice that one of them becomes either male or female and gets large. this particular crab tends to kill the others. i have no idea why.
that said, i like to look at them. they don't hurt much as far as i've seen. picking at the rock mostly.
all crabs are opportunistic feeders and i wouldn't put anything past them though.

 

[Zbatey]

I try to have a good cleaner crew but every snail I put in dies or flips over behind the rocks

 

[mr_X]

well, you don't need snails anyway. you have an algae scraper for the glass, right? better glass cleaner than any army of snails i have seen.

 

[classklown90]

I try to have a good cleaner crew but every snail I put in dies or flips over behind the rocks

are all your parameters good? any hermits?

 

[Zbatey]

Ok but they just disappear does any one recommend a certain type

 

[Purevil21]

Blue leg hermits are inexpensive and great at cleaning a tank. I have 4 in my tank and just 2 turbo snails. The snails aren't going to keep the glass spotless, your better off with a magnet cleaner for that.

 

[PrettyFishies]

So, why are blue-legged hermits a better choice than red-legged?

 

[Purevil21]

No better, blues are just easier to get here. It may be different where you are. Hermits are very cheap and great cleaners. My rock stays spotless thanks to them.

 

[Sqasnatch]

I have blue and red. Both seem to be good. And whenever I get emerald crabs they always seem to die as well. Not sure why

 

[PrettyFishies]

Bought 2 emeralds, 6 red legs and 2 turbos for my 125.

I dropped one of the emeralds on top of a field of hair algae and he's been killin it! Hopefully, I'll have good luck. But at this rate, he may eat himself to death.

 

[davidmaguirre]

I have about 30 Mexican algae eating crabs in my 125 gallon and u don't really have to aclimate them and they start going on all the rocks and help with the algae they are very hardy and cheap! I got each one for 90 cents they help a lot!

 

[mr_X]

mexican algae eating crabs?

 

[davidmaguirre]

Actually there Mexican algae eating hermits srry but for there little size they really wrk hard

 

[mr_X]

ahh..gotcha.

 

[rush]

Man I think I have a lot of CUC compared to most. I have 5 nassarius snails, like 10 turbos, 10 astreas, 10 margarita's and 3-4 Mexican turbo snails. I also have about 10-15 small blue leg hermits, 10 mediums and about 5 large one. I also have about 10-15 red leg hermits. As well as 2 sand sifters stars, 3 peppermint shrimps, one cleaner shrimp, and 2 emerald crabs. None of them really seem to die off so they must all be eating fine... My tank is 120 gallon.