emrald crabs - how dangerous are they?
- Thread starter beerbaron
- Start date
I hope ReefRian isn't a she in the Lou Reed
"Holly came from Miami, F L A
hitchhiked her was across the U S A
plucked her eyebrows on the way
shaved her legs and then he was a she
Take a Walk on the Wild Side" kinda way.
Well, with the pics I've seen here and on RC, I was able to positively identify what mithraculus sculptus (sp?) is supposed to look like.
An LFS near my job (on the way home, nonetheless... talk about convenient) had a whole gaggle of them in, so I said I wanted to make sure they had red connective tissue. Sure enough, they did, so I bought 2.
While floating their bag and acclimating them, I put some valonia bubbles in there with them. They ignored the bubble that was almost their size, but one crab went for these 2 little bubbles. The crab couldn't keep hold and they kept bouncing out of their claws.
So I dropped them into one of my many valonia zones, and one went to town instantly on the bubble that I accidentally broke tryig to get out and put in the bag. The other one sat there. Not sure how this will go, but hopefully they both get the same idea and chow down.
With so much valonia of many sizes (and 2 distinct species that I can identify, I think), these crabs will have plenty to eat before trying to prey on fish, hermits, snails, whatever.
Got my fingers crossed...
"Holly came from Miami, F L A
hitchhiked her was across the U S A
plucked her eyebrows on the way
shaved her legs and then he was a she
Take a Walk on the Wild Side" kinda way.
Well, with the pics I've seen here and on RC, I was able to positively identify what mithraculus sculptus (sp?) is supposed to look like.
An LFS near my job (on the way home, nonetheless... talk about convenient) had a whole gaggle of them in, so I said I wanted to make sure they had red connective tissue. Sure enough, they did, so I bought 2.
While floating their bag and acclimating them, I put some valonia bubbles in there with them. They ignored the bubble that was almost their size, but one crab went for these 2 little bubbles. The crab couldn't keep hold and they kept bouncing out of their claws.
So I dropped them into one of my many valonia zones, and one went to town instantly on the bubble that I accidentally broke tryig to get out and put in the bag. The other one sat there. Not sure how this will go, but hopefully they both get the same idea and chow down.
With so much valonia of many sizes (and 2 distinct species that I can identify, I think), these crabs will have plenty to eat before trying to prey on fish, hermits, snails, whatever.
Got my fingers crossed...
I had an emerald crab in my 75 for a month or so... he did eat some bubble algae, but not enough to make a dent, also their method of eating it, is to first pop the bubbles (which puts spores in the tank) and then eat the remnants, so I am not entirely certain that this is a help.
I never saw the little bugger, they are nocturnal from what I can discern and he liked to walk on my porites, which ticked it off to no end. In the end, he was removed when he grabbed a newly introduced scarlet cleaner shrimp and proceeded to kill it, then got all big and acted like he was The Hulk.
Getting him out.. involved figuring out which rock he was on and dropping it in a bucket of slightly lowered specific gravity water and hoping he would fall off... which, he did, thank God. I was very lucky that my capture of him was this painless.
I would recommend siphoning off the bubbles during water changes, or removing the rocks one piece at a time and scrubbing them in a bucket of your change water from your tank. Emerald crabs are neat, and if you want them because they are neat, then by all means, go for it. Do not expect them to be effective eaters of bubble and hair algae.
J.
I never saw the little bugger, they are nocturnal from what I can discern and he liked to walk on my porites, which ticked it off to no end. In the end, he was removed when he grabbed a newly introduced scarlet cleaner shrimp and proceeded to kill it, then got all big and acted like he was The Hulk.
Getting him out.. involved figuring out which rock he was on and dropping it in a bucket of slightly lowered specific gravity water and hoping he would fall off... which, he did, thank God. I was very lucky that my capture of him was this painless.
I would recommend siphoning off the bubbles during water changes, or removing the rocks one piece at a time and scrubbing them in a bucket of your change water from your tank. Emerald crabs are neat, and if you want them because they are neat, then by all means, go for it. Do not expect them to be effective eaters of bubble and hair algae.
J.
After the first couple days, I haven't seen the emeralds. One was out on a rock the other day, but then it took off at some point.
The bubble algaes where I dropped the emeralds in have diminished.
I'm thinking of getting one more to add to the other side of the tank.
I don't need all the bubbles wiped out, I just want to see it controlled.
The bubble algaes where I dropped the emeralds in have diminished.
I'm thinking of getting one more to add to the other side of the tank.
I don't need all the bubbles wiped out, I just want to see it controlled.
Keep in mind there is a 10% bad apple in all species...ive had two..one was ok, he definitely let what was around(my shrimps) know he was the boss, and he pretty much stayed outta sight outta mind..this new one ive had for a couple of months now i see him alot in the daylight...And is very passive...From my little experience with these little creatures, ive learned they have different personalities...From anything i have read, this crabby species is a good keep...Maybe you'll just have to have to find out?
8)
8)
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
