Jump to content
inTank Media Baskets

Emerald Crabs Questions!


aspinn

Recommended Posts

Hey im looking at trying to figure out what ny stock list will be... im planning to get the 39gallon CADlights (NOT the one with the sump)...

 

I was planning to stock 2-3 of these emerald crabs into my tank.... can i keep more then one in that size of tank? if so how many would be the max i would wish to keepi just dont want to have a crab war and wake up with one missing an eye O.o.... also my second question is care... should i do suplimentle feeding? if so what can i feed it? what do you feed yours?

 

My other stock lists for this tank so far is

 

2 Clowns

1 Firefish

1 Cleaner Skunk Shrimp

2 (or 3) emerald crabs)

few snails, and hermits

 

Corals i know i will be getting either hammer or frogspawn, possibly an a brain, xenia and maby zoas (im honestly still thinkin of what ill be getting for corals

 

My last question is what should i avoid to stick in my tank? to be honest i love the emeralds to death so id be willing to sacrifice some of the key corals i was looking at... is there any corals (including the ones in my list) that these crabs have been known to... well kill lol

 

 

thanks guys! i appreicate it, oh any tips about keeping these crabs? how hard they? --- there one of my favorite type marine animals, along with the clowns :) thank you!

Link to comment

I have a emerald crab in a 29 gallon biocube and he seems to do really well. I have heard they will work together with others but have no experience. I have very few corals but he stays away from the ones i do have so there shouldn't be a problem. They are also very active and are always eating algae. Another plus is he eats bubble algae which can be potentially dangerous for the tank.

Link to comment

really? thanks for the replies... id love to hear some more opinions as well! :) thanks guys and sorry for the late reply haha been a busy last 2 days

Link to comment
bubbles3660

They are really great for clearing out the algae - but once it is gone they become opportunistic eaters. They probably won't nip corals (depending on the individual) but they will also take out any macro algae or ornamental plants. I would not put more than two or three in a 40 gallon.

 

 

--bubbles

Link to comment

really? well ill probably be getting at least 2.... and i will probably end up suplimenting their food with nori (if i can get my hands on it... its on my "to do" liust research wise).... would love to here more opinions! thanks!

Link to comment

Caught mine picking on my zoas the other day. Not sure if he was trying to get to algae in between them but he actually picked AT them a few times. I scared him off this time but the next time he gets the shish kabob harpoon. :angry:

Link to comment

my personel opinion, bad idea on the emeralds. I love their personality and cleaning ability, but they are very dangerous. I saw mine jumping off rock, trying to land on a sleeping clown. i thought it was funny until i woke up one morning with a dead clown in the emearlds grasp. i loved mine, but after that, he had to go.. if you keep them, they will eat anything you put in.. u dont really have to supplement. they will scrape every piece of live rock clean, and eat any excess food left over from fish feedings and whatnot. if you want, you can always throw something else in for them as well.. good luck either way.

Link to comment

They are good cleaners but opportunistic omnivores which means if they find it tasty or think its edible and they can get it they will eat it including your corals. Put them in the tank with much caution.

Link to comment
seahorsedreams

Mine steals from the tubastrea. the coral started to look like it was starving despite being fed alot.... then we day we busted him picking out the mysis one-by-one. Little devil. But there is no algae left in the tank so we suppliment him with a seaweed or what not before feeding the tubastrea. I wouldn't get 2 though cause you have to keep your eye on them.

Link to comment
bubbles3660
Mine steals from the tubastrea. the coral started to look like it was starving despite being fed alot.... then we day we busted him picking out the mysis one-by-one. Little devil. But there is no algae left in the tank so we suppliment him with a seaweed or what not before feeding the tubastrea. I wouldn't get 2 though cause you have to keep your eye on them.

 

Have you tried the bottle method of feeding? It's emerald proof.

 

sun_feed.jpg

Link to comment

Just took my emerald back the LFS the other day. He did a great job on cleaning the algae but I caught him plucking zoa polyps! He was a also very aggressive when it came to feeding time, reminded me of those crabs on Finding Nemo.

Link to comment
seahorsedreams
Have you tried the bottle method of feeding? It's emerald proof.

 

The tubastrea is not on the sand and he can get up under the edges of the soda bottle because of the irregularity of the edge of the rock. It's easier just to feed him first.... and I guess if's he's stealing food he's hungry. There actually use to be fish in the system so he got the mysis leftovers. When the fish moved to a bigger tank he got hungry..... poor guy.

Link to comment

aye i think i may do that... just get one... try him out and if he "behaves" then i may get another :) as much as i love the little buggers i dont want him to chow down on my 35dollar corals O.o... thanks guys! (btw i would love to hear more stories/opinions if you got them) thanks!

Link to comment

I had one eat an entire head of hammer coral in two evenings. My first coral. He went back. I have one now that I keep a close eye on.

Good luck

 

Jeremy

Link to comment

When they get bigger they will most likely try to eat any corals they find edible. And may go after your fish. If you are worried about algae go with a tuxedo or short spine urchin. If you want a crab think about a pom pom.

Link to comment

Interesting thread.

 

I got my emerald becaues of some bubble algae that came along with my live rock. He came along with my initial cuc and did a great job with the bubble algae. I still have some bubble algae but its just small bubbles here and there and not as much of an eye sore. Yet, I was thinking about getting another one. Then just last night I caught emerald sitting next to where my little two headed hammer was and the hammer was on the sand. It didn't appear that he eat any of the hammer heads but he clearly knocked it off the rock I had it wedged in. Now after reading this thread I am reconsidering a second emerald. My current emerald has been put on notice and given his one warning. :angry: I probably should feed emerald more. So far its my favorite invert in my tank, I'd hate to have to get rid of him.

Link to comment

aww poor little guy :) put on probation for a hit and run :) aye by reading these guys i had second thoughts of going for 2 outright... definitely gunna just try the one first.... i went to the lfs again they had 5 of them... not even a size of a quarter... one was just picking undernieth this plastic orniment... i love how he did it lol very cute :) btw would love to hear more replies if anyone has em!

Link to comment

I just added one in my 3 gallon. He seems very peaceful and I usually only see him at night. In a book I have it says there Reef safe.

Link to comment
ThatsFishy69

anything thing else that eats what they do but nice?

 

o btw could it be the green ones are mean and the reds not or the other way around?

Link to comment
Nick's Reef

I hate emeralds. i had one that within 24hrs. of acclimating him he had eaten 7 polyps of zoos. nearly killed my hammer and trumpet and pretty much tore apart my whole tank. back to the lfs he went the next day. :angry:

Link to comment

I love emeralds. My favorite invert. Hard workers, funny, very durable. Often I drop in a piece of nori and it takes it from my hand. I have never seen him eat any of my zoas or other corals. Extremely cool to observe. If I wave at him, he'll wave back. I have yet to observe any of the negative things people mention about them, not that it isn't true. I just haven't seen any bad behavior myself.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...