Emerald Crabs

[Crabs]

Any suggestions on adding these creatures to my cleanup crew

 

[iDream]

Whats your setup and CUC look like?

 

[Maya]

We had 2 with about 40 snails, 4 hermits, and 4 shrimp. They don't really bother anything but eat all day long. Love bubble algae (as in 1 crab wiped out an entire outbreak in my sump in one night). Mine are about 1/2 dollar size. We just lost one (old age? Don't know the life expectancy on these.) but will replace him with another.

 

[Crabs]

Thanks. I think I'll wait a few weeks before adding 1. My small Bio14 is newly established without a whole lot for it to eat unless I give him pellets

 

[hackteck]

i thought about adding one to my tank but then i read they could bother corals possibly

 

[Maya]

They don't bother ours but I don't think they would hesitate to get into them either. They don't pay much attention to anything. I've seen them clean under the anemone, stand on top of snail shells, etc. They just pick, pick, pick nonstop. They're comical to watch.

 

[Sebastian_Troy]

I'm really interested in encouraging all the small encrusting and varied marine life on my live rocks, I'm not so much interested in having a few large creatures as having thousands of tiny ones, so my question is for my clean up crew, are emerald crabs right for me? Are they vegetarian or will they feast on the life I aim to encourage, also are any crabs or hermit crabs suitable???

 

[Maya]

The emeralds eat whatever is available. They scrape the coraline algae, which in our case continues to spread it everywhere. They'll pick at the dead snails, at bubble algae, pieces of uneaten food etc. If They have a hold of it, it's in their mouths. They don't seem to bother our corals, but they will stand in our anemone and pick food out of underneath it. We have a pretty active tank... Lots of pods, shrimp, snails, sponges, hermits etc.

 

[classklown90]

I have an emerald crab in both my tanks and they are rarely seenbut do not cuse trouble IME. As for getting any crab, well there are certain ones you should avoid. Red crabs are a definite no, arrow and decorator crabs are with caution but id advise against them especially in a BC14. I had an arrow in my BC14 who waspeaceful but short lived, there lifespan is very short, a year i believe. Stay away from large hermits as they will get too big and could eat small fish and snails. Good choices for hermits are electric blues, red, zebra and blues just make sure to have plenty of extra shells and you will be fine, staghorns are also very cool, readup on them first though. My fav crab, possibly fav invert is a pom pom crab. You can definitely have two in your BC14 and they are awesome, I have them in mine. Very peaceful as well. Stay away from horseshoe and sally lightfoots as thy ge too big. porcelian cfrabs should be fine for you, as well as anemone crabs which do not require an anemone. Good luck with your choice! Hope this helped

 

[Sergie]

I have two along with hermits and snails and they never bother any of my other inhabitants or coral. They're always too busy eating to be aggressive.

 

[Crabs]

Thanks. I looked back on this old thread and found the replies to b very helpful. Finally added an Emerald. Hoping he will help with my small colonies of Bubble Algae. Also added a Pepperment Shrimp for the Aiptasia in my tank. To all concerned. Please, no disparaging remarks about adding critters for problems. It has been carefully considered and not only do I have room but I also believe I might have the perfect CUC. We'll C

 

[rdnelson99]

I love our Emeralds. I first heard of them in response to my questions about getting rid of bubble algae but made sure I would want them around afterwards before I bought them. They are a blast to watch at feeding time. One does a little dance for us every night.

 

[Crabs]

Mine immediately went into hiding. Hopefully I will soon c more of him as he settles in and realizes this is a peaceful environment

 

[Greenturtle]

Mine did too. Just wait a day and scour the rocks for them LOL