emerald crab

[loanmaster]

I watn to put an emerald crab in my nano bube 12gal for hair algae control. Is this a bad idea.

[bulldogger1]

Yes. They really don't do much for hair algea.

[loanmaster]

hermit crabs are better?

[snostorm]

Whats best critter for green hair algae?

[holyherbiness]

um, I HAND FED my emerald big chunks of hair algae (green) and it ate it all up.

It ate up all the red hair algae too..

and then it went for the bubble algae

and then for the coralline

and then for the dead percula clown

and then for my macroalgae

 

in my experience, they'll eat up your hair like none other.. i'd say a very bad case in under a week. but it's nfot worth it in the long run. My crab in my ten gallon is fully grown, and is very vicious at eating coralline and it breaks apart fragments of live rock.

 

go for hermits

[loanmaster]

will the hermits do as good of a job, if so which kind just red and blue or do they all pretty much work equally. I figure if I go hermit I need like 4 for the 12 gal, correct?

[embryoguy]

i have 2 emerald crabs in my nanocube. they do a great job with all algae control.

[loanmaster]

EMBRYOGUY- does he bother anything else, or crush up your live rock. Or is he a just a great cleaner?

[trmiv]

I've got two in my 16. They, and my turbo wiped out my large algae problem. Kind of worried what they will eat now that there isn't any algae left.

[Tempest]

I also have had good experiences with mithrax/emerald crabs. Mine have eaten hair algae, bubble algae and leftover food on the bottom of the tank.

[rperrice]

Try blue tuxedo or hairy pincusion urchin. These are excellent eaters of bad types of algae, including hair algae. I have a blue tuxedo and its done a great job on the hair algae and red algae in my tank. Also, I have had good experiences with emeralds and bubble algae.