Is it easy to starv an emerald crab

[embl05]

Hello!

i whant to get a emerald crab and was wondering if its easy to starve them, How often do you feed them so they dont starv and go after snails etc?

my tank is 20g with 2 clown fish and a few nassaria 

[Rob22]

They’re omnivorous scavengers. They will pick at rocks and sand all day eating bits of algae and detritus. Most crabs are opportunistic feeders. Some will kill snails for food because they like them even if they are well fed. I have had two that went after sleeping fire fish once they got bigger. is there a specific reason you want an emerald crab? If you just want to see a crab crawling around the rocks all day you may be disappointed as they do hide out in the rocks a lot. If you just want a crab I would suggest a porcelain crab, the blueish grey ones and not the anemone crabs unless you have an anemone. Porcelain crabs are predominately filter feeders and wave fans in the water around their mouth to feed. I have had a few over the years and have had no indication that any of them were aggressive. You can see in the picture that their claws are big and kind of shovel shaped. The pointier the claws generally means the more aggressive and carnivorous they are. 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

19 minutes ago, Rob22 said:

They’re omnivorous scavengers. They will pick at rocks and sand all day eating bits of algae and detritus. Most crabs are opportunistic feeders. Some will kill snails for food because they like them even if they are well fed. I have had two that went after sleeping fire fish once they got bigger. is there a specific reason you want an emerald crab? If you just want to see a crab crawling around the rocks all day you may be disappointed as they do hide out in the rocks a lot. If you just want a crab I would suggest a porcelain crab, the blueish grey ones and not the anemone crabs unless you have an anemone. Porcelain crabs are predominately filter feeders and wave fans in the water around their mouth to feed. I have had a few over the years and have had no indication that any of them were aggressive. You can see in the picture that their claws are big and kind of shovel shaped. The pointier the claws generally means the more aggressive and carnivorous they are. 

That is probably the best pic of one I have ever seen

[Rob22]

18 minutes ago, DSFIRSTSLTWATER said:

That is probably the best pic of one I have ever seen

Ha. Can’t take credit for it. It was pulled from a google image search. Thanks though. 

[ajkochev]

I have a porcelain crab.  I've trained her to come to a certain spot at the front of the tank for a small bit of shrimp on a bamboo skewer in the mornings.  The evening feeding is just a homemade mixture for filter feeders.

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

41 minutes ago, Rob22 said:

Ha. Can’t take credit for it. It was pulled from a google image search. Thanks though. 

ehh, still a great pic . Good fine

[embl05]

4 hours ago, Rob22 said:

They’re omnivorous scavengers. They will pick at rocks and sand all day eating bits of algae and detritus. Most crabs are opportunistic feeders. Some will kill snails for food because they like them even if they are well fed. I have had two that went after sleeping fire fish once they got bigger. is there a specific reason you want an emerald crab? If you just want to see a crab crawling around the rocks all day you may be disappointed as they do hide out in the rocks a lot. If you just want a crab I would suggest a porcelain crab, the blueish grey ones and not the anemone crabs unless you have an anemone. Porcelain crabs are predominately filter feeders and wave fans in the water around their mouth to feed. I have had a few over the years and have had no indication that any of them were aggressive. You can see in the picture that their claws are big and kind of shovel shaped. The pointier the claws generally means the more aggressive and carnivorous they are. 

 

I just whant a crab, and in Sweden snails cost like 8dollars so there not cheap!

[Rob22]

Ahh. Yes, I would look for a porcelain crab then. They’re actually more interesting anyway and will pick at rocks as well.  Emerald crabs will eat bubble algae, but that is the only benefit to them to me. 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

27 minutes ago, Rob22 said:

Ahh. Yes, I would look for a porcelain crab then. They’re actually more interesting anyway and will pick at rocks as well.  Emerald crabs will eat bubble algae, but that is the only benefit to them to me. 

I have one and he doesn't touch my gha.. he's super lazy, he's a cool crab, just isn't a good housekeeper 😂

[embl05]

19 hours ago, Rob22 said:

Ahh. Yes, I would look for a porcelain crab then. They’re actually more interesting anyway and will pick at rocks as well.  Emerald crabs will eat bubble algae, but that is the only benefit to them to me. 

So do I need an anemone? They cost around 40-50$ 

[ajkochev]

I don't have an anemone and mine is fine.  Hangs out under my plating monti most of the time.  Molts about once a month.  I just snaped this pic today.

[embl05]

22 minutes ago, ajkochev said:

I don't have an anemone and mine is fine.  Hangs out under my plating monti most of the time.  Molts about once a month.  I just snaped this pic today.

Really nice👍 I will probably buy one then, thanks 

[Rob22]

7 hours ago, embl05 said:

So do I need an anemone? They cost around 40-50$ 

The blue/grey ones do not associate with an anemone. I have always heard the anemone crabs did better with one, but I really don’t know for sure. I have one of the blue/grey ones in my tank and have 8 bubble tips, 3 maxi minis and 2 rock flowers and he has never been near one of them. I had one of the anemone crabs in there and he never left one of the bubble tips.