Emeral Crab Problem - Aquarium Advice

duddi · 09-20-2006, 08:24 AM

So I got an emerald crab 3 days ago. I have seen him once since I have put him in. What I have seen is the remains of 2 hermits that he has killed (haven't seen him kill, but has to be him).

Does anyone have and emerald?
I know they are nocturnal, but do you ever see them during the day?
Do they kill everything they can get there pinchers on?
Do they ever eat algea? I got him to help keep things clean, but haven't seen him clean anything.

I guess my main question is why have one if you never see him and he kills other crabs and snails at night? Is there anything good that they do that outweighs the bad. If not he is going back to lfs.

austinsdad · 09-20-2006, 08:44 AM

How long you had the hermits? If they died from something else, the crab would definitely be seen eating on them. Seems to me that hermits can either get away or maybe defend themselves better than that.

You're not going to see the crab much IMO. Believe me, he is cleaning though. Leftover food, dead critters, etc. Even if he isn't the killer, you may just feel better with him not in your tank. He is supposed to be community tank/reef safe, but some say a crab is going to be a crab and do things other, supposedly more bad boy crabs will do.

duddi · 09-20-2006, 09:10 AM

Had the hermits for a week. I'm pretty sure the hermits were killed and didn't die on there own. I might just wait and see if more hermits start missing. I'm on vacation this weekend and I would hate to come back and see all my cleanup crew dead!!

austinsdad · 09-20-2006, 09:26 AM

I still believe they may have died on their own.

duddi · 09-20-2006, 09:53 AM

I only have my cleanup crew and the emerald. The hermits and snails seem to have plenty to eat on (algea, etc). Should I be dropping some food in for the crabs or just let them feed on the algea? I have put some mysis shrimp in before and they seemed to love it.

austinsdad · 09-20-2006, 10:29 AM

Oh yes. Drop some pellets in there maybe. Something that will make it to the bottom. If you haven't been feeding, maybe the hermits starved.

But no, algae won't keep them all feed.

What sized tank, how much rock, and how much of a cleaning crew is in there?

duddi · 09-20-2006, 11:04 AM

Its a 55 gallon with 40lbs live sand and 35lbs live rock. 20lbs of the rock was used to cycle and has a good bit of algea on it. The clean up crew has done a pretty good job of cleaning the rock.
I had 10 (8 now) blue legged hermits, a variety of 15 snails, and 1 emerald crab.

**roka64** · 09-20-2006, 11:38 AM

Do you have larger, empty shells for the hermits to move into, as they grow?

duddi · 09-20-2006, 11:47 AM

Yes, I do have larger shells. Like I said the hermits and snails have been in for a little over a week. I had seen no problem between the hermits and snails. And then I put the emerald in and the next day two hermits are dead!! I think he is going to have to go. Does he do anything good for the tank that the other cleanup crew does not.

**melosu58** · 09-20-2006, 05:48 PM

How do you know that they did not move to another shell. As AD said there are many variables

09-20-2006, 08:24 AM	#1
duddi Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 55 Images: 2	Emeral Crab Problem So I got an emerald crab 3 days ago. I have seen him once since I have put him in. What I have seen is the remains of 2 hermits that he has killed (haven't seen him kill, but has to be him). Does anyone have and emerald? I know they are nocturnal, but do you ever see them during the day? Do they kill everything they can get there pinchers on? Do they ever eat algea? I got him to help keep things clean, but haven't seen him clean anything. I guess my main question is why have one if you never see him and he kills other crabs and snails at night? Is there anything good that they do that outweighs the bad. If not he is going back to lfs.

09-20-2006, 08:44 AM	#2
austinsdad Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clinton, Maryland Posts: 4,211 Images: 12	How long you had the hermits? If they died from something else, the crab would definitely be seen eating on them. Seems to me that hermits can either get away or maybe defend themselves better than that. You're not going to see the crab much IMO. Believe me, he is cleaning though. Leftover food, dead critters, etc. Even if he isn't the killer, you may just feel better with him not in your tank. He is supposed to be community tank/reef safe, but some say a crab is going to be a crab and do things other, supposedly more bad boy crabs will do. __________________ -Ray- "Life may not be the party we hoped for but while we are here we might as well dance!"

09-20-2006, 09:26 AM	#4
austinsdad Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clinton, Maryland Posts: 4,211 Images: 12	I still believe they may have died on their own. __________________ -Ray- "Life may not be the party we hoped for but while we are here we might as well dance!"

09-20-2006, 10:29 AM	#6
austinsdad Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Clinton, Maryland Posts: 4,211 Images: 12	Oh yes. Drop some pellets in there maybe. Something that will make it to the bottom. If you haven't been feeding, maybe the hermits starved. But no, algae won't keep them all feed. What sized tank, how much rock, and how much of a cleaning crew is in there? __________________ -Ray- "Life may not be the party we hoped for but while we are here we might as well dance!"

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09-20-2006, 09:10 AM	#3
duddi Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 55 Images: 2	Had the hermits for a week. I'm pretty sure the hermits were killed and didn't die on there own. I might just wait and see if more hermits start missing. I'm on vacation this weekend and I would hate to come back and see all my cleanup crew dead!!

09-20-2006, 09:53 AM	#5
duddi Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 55 Images: 2	I only have my cleanup crew and the emerald. The hermits and snails seem to have plenty to eat on (algea, etc). Should I be dropping some food in for the crabs or just let them feed on the algea? I have put some mysis shrimp in before and they seemed to love it.

09-20-2006, 11:04 AM	#7
duddi Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 55 Images: 2	Its a 55 gallon with 40lbs live sand and 35lbs live rock. 20lbs of the rock was used to cycle and has a good bit of algea on it. The clean up crew has done a pretty good job of cleaning the rock. I had 10 (8 now) blue legged hermits, a variety of 15 snails, and 1 emerald crab.

09-20-2006, 11:47 AM	#9
duddi Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 55 Images: 2	Yes, I do have larger shells. Like I said the hermits and snails have been in for a little over a week. I had seen no problem between the hermits and snails. And then I put the emerald in and the next day two hermits are dead!! I think he is going to have to go. Does he do anything good for the tank that the other cleanup crew does not.

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