rock12 Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 ok i got new live rock and along with it came some bubble and hair algee! What eats them that i could get? I heard a emerald crab, but i don't like there hariy legs the look like a spider and creep me out! Are there any other types of crabs that eat buble algee, or fish,or snails.....ect? I know my turbo grazes on the hair so i shouldn't have to worry about that getting out of control but if there is something that will eat both thats neat looking and doesn't look like a spider could you please tell me? Thankx again! Link to comment
nalbar Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 if you dont like things that creep you out i am not sure you should have a reef tank. maybe get a dog? oh wait, they lick their butts! that is pretty creepy. dood, compared to what is crawling in your rock a crab is pretty normal! some emeralds eat bubble algae, but it is so easy to remove with a turkey baster you dont need a crab. nalbar Link to comment
rock12 Posted August 20, 2004 Author Share Posted August 20, 2004 no i like the crabs i just don't like there hairly legs, but if nothing else will remove it nartualy then i gusse i'll get one! I love hermits so its not that i don't like creepy things i just don't like things that look like spiders, but who know if there isn't anything else, then i might just warm up to one! Link to comment
xcajx Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 patience rock, patience. you have a whole new cycle to deal with now so try and wait it out. algae is just part of the deal. do as nalbar said and try to manually remove it and chill. Link to comment
kappa Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 rock12, I think you will need that emerald crab. Although it is ugly, you won't see the crab very often anyways, as they hide most of the time. If you just got the live rock, and you want to get rid of the algae, try scrubbing the algae off with a hard tooth brush (99 cents kind at Rite Aid)in a bucket of salt water. If you like pretty cleaners, try a scarlet or an electric blue hermit. I watch my electric blue hermits tear out algae, and they are good at it. I highly recommend you decide on getting some snails around the time you get brown diatom bloom. A pretty looking snail might be an astrea snail. Link to comment
Dr. Saltwater Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 Originally posted by kappa rock12, I think you will need that emerald crab. Although it is ugly, you won't see the crab very often anyways, as they hide most of the time. If you just got the live rock, and you want to get rid of the algae, try scrubbing the algae off with a hard tooth brush (99 cents kind at Rite Aid)in a bucket of salt water. If you like pretty cleaners, try a scarlet or an electric blue hermit. I watch my electric blue hermits tear out algae, and they are good at it. I highly recommend you decide on getting some snails around the time you get brown diatom bloom. A pretty looking snail might be an astrea snail. I think the same, only don't try to get rid of your bubble-algae in the tank ofcourse by doing it yourself. Link to comment
rock12 Posted August 20, 2004 Author Share Posted August 20, 2004 i know i heard it could spread that way, and that would be bad!lol! I know i just wanted to see before i get anything after the cycle. I wanted to see if there were any other options then a emerald, but i gusse once the cycles done i'll get one of those!! Thankx for the help everyone! Link to comment
dsg7777 Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 emeralds are great. and you will probably never see it anyways. I just saw mine yesterday for the first time in a few weeks. I guess he comes out at night or something. Link to comment
rock12 Posted August 20, 2004 Author Share Posted August 20, 2004 lol! yeah i'm going to get one! I want to go for critters in my somday to be reef that keep things like ich,bubble algea,hair algee,apista and so on! Want to have like and ico system!lol! I myself think that emeralds are cute i just don't like the hairy legs!lol! Who knows though maybe i'll warm up to it~lol! Link to comment
Kool-cat Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 My emerald green crab killed all 3 of my pepperminth shrimp, although it ate bubble algae. Link to comment
onthefly Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 I've never understood the "myth" that if you pop it it will spread........How do you think the emerald crab eats it with out popping it? I've watch them...they pop it! And it doesn't spread! Personally, I like to go in with a piece of airline tubing, and rock the bubbles until they detach....simply yank'em oout. If you happen to pop one or two (and are concerned about spreading the plague), use the siphon in the area your working with. Link to comment
kappa Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 I have two emerald crabs, and I think the bigger emerald is trimming my cleaner shrimps antanae. All 6 of the cleaner shrimps antanae is about it's body length, but before it use to be twice it's body length. I don't know if the crab did it, because I never saw him nip the antanae off, but I did see the emerald crab grab at it when the shrimp used it to feel around. I never see my emerald crab eat the bubble algae, but I do see it eatting algae. I have one more emeral crab in my 5.5, and bubble algae in that tank has mostly disappeard. Link to comment
rock12 Posted August 20, 2004 Author Share Posted August 20, 2004 yeah i want to get one, but i'm also planning on getting a cleaner shrimp, and somer hermits(have one now) But i just got another cycle so i have to wait. But now i'm torn as to get one or not! I realy want a cleaner shirmp, and if there agressive twards things then i gusse i shouldn't get one! IDK!Uhhhh Link to comment
nalbar Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 a cleaner would kick the crap out of an emerald if the cleaner was even slightly bigger. i have NEVER had a bit of trouble with any of my emeralds. and they eat algae NONSTOP, including bubble. but my cleaner? lets just say the peppermints stay WAAAAY over there from my cleaner. a cool thing the cleaner does is ... CLEAN! man, when he cleans my lawn mower blennie it is cool. he even peels the gills back and reaches WAY in! the LMB LOVES it! lays on his side and groans with pleasure! nalbar Link to comment
rock12 Posted August 20, 2004 Author Share Posted August 20, 2004 lol! I can see it now!lol! Thankx nalbar i might just get one now! I think reefs with tons of little critters are the coolest and thats what i'm going to be striving to have in my tank! A couple diff hermits,emerald crab,skunk cleaner,snails...ect.! hey i have a couple more questions. I heard that emerald will maybe eat coraline algee if there very hungery, so is there any food that you could supliment for them and maybe my hermits to keep them satisfied? I have no clue as to what type of food they would eat! also i know this has nothing to do with this thead but is there a slug that you could have in a 10g reef, that is easy to care for? i was just wondering cuz i think there cool! Thankx Link to comment
nalbar Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 no slugs dood. they die. my wife so wanted my 80g to have a LOT of fish. instead i packed it with crabs and shrimp. now the most fun she has is trying to find the critters. yes, an emerald will eat coraline. but trust me, if your tank parameters are correct he will NEVER make a serious impact. we were lucky enough to get a small hairy legged red crab hitch-hiker who apparently ONLY eats coraline. at least that is all i have ever seen him eat. he is now our favorite inhabitant. trying to find him in the tank is quite fun, better than TV. people say the hairy crabs hitch-hikers are bad and should be removed. SOME hairys are bad, but most are not. most are harmless algae eaters. and yes, i consider coraline eaters 'harmless'. nalbar Link to comment
coralreefer Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 i had a few urchin hitchhikers that would have decimated the coralline if left any longer, banished to the fowlr tank and are happy (so am i). Link to comment
coralreefer Posted August 20, 2004 Share Posted August 20, 2004 nalbar is right about giving a hairy legged crab a chance, check out the algaesaurus. Link to comment
rock12 Posted August 23, 2004 Author Share Posted August 23, 2004 lol! He's actually kinda cute! yeah thats what i thought about slugs, but just thought i'd ask! THankx for all the help everyone! Link to comment
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