Bubble algae and Emerald crabs

[got bait?]

Question about the removal of bubble algae. I hear one of very few things that will consume bubble algae is the Emerald crab. The other best means of removal is manual removal, but with care not to burst the bubble. How can an Emerald crab eat one of these without bursting it himself. Seems to me the best method of removal is manually, other than stopping it at the source that is.

 

[Fluff]

I agree the best method is manual. Emerald crabs never touched my bubble algae.

 

[Phyl]

I got some bubble algae on a rock from a local reefer. Thankfully it couldn't survive in my tank because my emeralds wanted NOTHING to do with it. After about 3 weeks it petered out on its own.

 

[JPloman]

Are you sure it is green bubble algae? There are these macro algae called sailors eyes, they look similar but have a grayish tent to them. There are also other macro algaes out there that look like green bubble algae.

 

[klam]

Emerald crabs pops bubble by eating them, spores create more bubbles and the emarld crab will eat bubble again, a cycle that will probably not end.

 

[got bait?]

Emerald crabs pops bubble by eating them, spores create more bubbles and the emarld crab will eat bubble again, a cycle that will probably not end.

Exactly what I thought.
Therefore, Emerald crabs do not get rid of Bubble Algae.

 

[thanew]

hrm, the few I've had have gobbled bubble algae down...

I guess it depends on the other food sources in the tank, maybe?

 

[kwan]

Mine also eats coraline algae. He was nipping coraline algae off every piece of my LR. Can be so destructive.

 

[klam]

I've tried 2 small $.nickle sized emeralds and both haven't touched my bubble. Maybe the emeralds need to be bigger.

One of my emerald also ate coraline, not too much of a bad thing because it's helping the coraline spread around more.