HELP! Brown Algae on my crabs!!! what can I do??

[patlinspurling]

i have a new tank. and understand that the brown algae is a normal thing for new tanks. BUT is it normal for it to be getting onto the crabs i have in there? if so will it hurt them? the emerald crabs and the arrow crab seem to be getting covered in the brown stuff. the arrow crab looks like it is itching( i think it is just the algae it is trying to get off.)

12 gallon tank (NANO CUBE)
3.5 lb live rock
approx 5 lb crushed coral
1 arrow crab
2 emerald crabs
2 very small hermit
2 peppermint shrimp(small)

 

[rabagley]

It gets on everything until competition and predation can catch up. Your crabs ought to be okay, though unless they're hitchikers, it's a little early to have introduced them...

Regards,
Ross

 

[Anonymous]

This will happen all the time, but it will slow down so much that the crabs will be able to keep themselves clean.

 

[Meloco14]

Yeah, I wouldnt worry so much about the algae, I'd be more worried that the arrow crab will eat the little peppermints and maybe attack the emeralds. They can be aggressive and it is enhanced in small tanks. Hopefully he's not too big

 

[Anonymous]

And if you're not already, make sure you're using RO/DI water or some other type of make-up water that has a low TDS.

 

[Anonymous]

another thing, the crabs will molt and shed their old skeleton leaving behind the algae infested remains which will dissolve or be eatin in time...I wouldnt worry to much about the crustaceans

 

[patlinspurling]

Thanks for the info... approx how long should i wait till i add any type of life , other than the crabs i already have??

 

[Anonymous]

As long as you've seen the ANN spike (the "cycle") come and go you're safe to add stuff.. Just remember that pretty much everything you add alters the "balance" again and the more you add at once the larger percentage that balance is shifted. Some things alter it heavily, some have little to no noticeable effect.

Typically crabs/snails are very low impact so no worries there. The concern is that they won't survive the cycle (and of course predation between species as pointed out above re: the arrow...) Fish and rock are usually the highest impact items so before you add any of those two its probably safest to make sure you've stabilized your cycle.