ekudl Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 I just got a pair of Emerald Crabs the other day in an attempt for them to eat my Valonia Bubble Algea. They are very cool little critters but neither one has touched my Valonia and one of them I caught nibbling on a small green mushroom frag. Bastard!!!! Any ideas on how to curve his appetite? I currently feed the tank Shrimp pellets which they love and my hermits and shrimps do as well. Any suggestions on what people may "feed their tanks" with besides the obvious, brine, pellets, flakes. Link to comment
sjpresley Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 Generally, Mithrax are herbivores. I doubt it was really nibbling at the mushrooms thought there may have been a bit of algae near their bases. Mine never sought out the Valonia, but when it came across it, it was eaten. If you worry about having enough algae for them to eat, go to an Asian food store and buy some dried nori (seaweed for sushi). It'll be about 1/4 the price of the dried stuff at the LFS. I attach pieces to LR rubble with rubber bands and sink them. The Mithrax find them in no time and go to town. Link to comment
LiQuiD Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 I agree, never has one mess with my coral, cleaned them off but never ate any. Decorator/sponge crab, now thats a different story. I have one that has been banished to the fish only tank with a nice array of zooanthids and a frogspawn frag on his back. Now I have to wait for him to molt so I can retrieve my corals. Link to comment
Crakeur Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 get a pic of that crab. Sounds awesome. Link to comment
ekudl Posted November 21, 2002 Author Share Posted November 21, 2002 Here is a PIC of a female Emerald Crab. Notice underneath it has one breat plate, to carry her eggs/young. Whereas the male underneath has a split breast plate. Link to comment
LiQuiD Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 As you can see he molted tonight..... Link to comment
LiQuiD Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 I managed to get the frogspawn, but he beat me to the zoo's and had some spare time to add some white crap as well. Link to comment
chufa Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 My emerald crab never touches big bubble algae. But ever since I got him/her, it has been under control. My theory is that they eat the small/young bubbles that can fit into their claws, thus controlling the population. The big bubbles are just too much for them to handle. Link to comment
gobies Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 Just a thought.... if your valonia is on one rock and your prized corals on another, move the valonia rock and crab into your QT tank for a week or so. Link to comment
LiQuiD Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 You can see the 2 zoo's better on this one. Link to comment
Crakeur Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 nice crab there. I love the color. Link to comment
LiQuiD Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 I would trade a frag of just about anything for him. My wife is scieved out by him and keeps asking me to get rid of him (since I threw him in her tank). I hate to take him to the LFS for nothing, and would like to see him go to a good home. Link to comment
blulegend Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 My pair of Emerald crabs wiped out my whole population of bubble algae. I have never seen them eating it, but since one month ago, I have only seen 1 or 2 small ones that eventually disappear too. I used to have a patch everywhere, even on the sand! I always see my emeralds picking at stuff. Link to comment
ross76053 Posted November 25, 2002 Share Posted November 25, 2002 blulegend - do they eat your hair algae as well? (if you have any) By the way - love your custom hood.... Link to comment
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