Arrow crabs in 13 gal?

[Crys]

I hate bristle worms. I thought about getting an arrow crab, but have found conflicting information about them. Are they suitable for a 13.9 gal. Some info says they may eat fish and shrimp. I've read they are ok for  nano tanks and other info says no.

 

Current livestock

2 blue leg hermits

Emerald crab

Small double sea star

Tail spot blenny

Watchman gobie

Clown 

Lots of snails

 

Thanks for your help 

[RoyalGramma001]

Maybe. The arrow crab would be fine in a ten gallon but what I would worry about would be the gobies as crabs are opportunistic feeders that will eat anything if there is insufficient food in the tank. So it is up to you if you want to take the risk or not.

[Tired]

Arrow crabs are not safe with fish or inverts smaller than them. Don't get one. Try bristleworm traps instead. 

 

Also, your sea star is going to slowly starve to death. They need to be kept in very large tanks so they can graze on microorganisms, they don't live long in small tanks. You should rehome it. 

[Crys]

Hi,

 

I definitely don't want to lose my fish which are all small so I will take the crab off my list. I keep telling myself that bristle worms are friends but it doesn't seem to work.  Time to make a trap.  

 

When I first got the sea star someone on the forum said I should return it so I tried but they wouldn't take it back.  I live in a rural area 100 miles from the closest city, so I haven't been able to find any other saltwater tank enthusiasts in my small community.  I have had him for just over a year, and I make sure I spot feed.  He does eat pelleted food, so I'll have to keep feeding him and looking for a home.  

 

I no longer impulse buy, because in the end it is the creatures that suffer.  I  really appreciate the help others give on the forum when I need to make a decision about what to get.  I will not be bringing home an arrow crab.

[mndfreeze]

I always loved the unique look of arrow crabs but they are just so damn incompatible with so many things.  Same with coral banded shrimp.  You end up limited on so many other things.

[Crys]

Yeah I had hoped it would be a nice trade off.  I don't mind spiders, so the crab would be cool, but I hate worms so again the crab would have been a great addition.  However I like my fish to much to purchase a crab.

[Tired]

Now, an arrow crab on its own in a 13gal would be pretty cool. I think there are even decorator arrow crabs. 

[Crys]

Today the coral  don't have their sweeper out, but I haven't changed the flow.  The snail has been consumed, so I think that's why they were sniffing.  I  never thought of coral as being able to smell before.

[Tired]

It may not necessarily be the same as how we experience smell, but, yep, they can sense things in the water. Might be closer to tasting, really. That's why they'll get "excited" when food is in the tank, they can smell it.