Emerald Crabs Pick at Zoas??

jk1nole · 04/07/2010, 08:22 PM

Just got a couple emeralds for my 65 a couple weeks ago to combat some bubble algae that started.

The algae seems to be taken care of. But, what was once a small patch of Zoas starting to do well is now looking crappy and picked at. Not sure what else could have done it besides the new guys... although I haven't personally seen it.

Does this tend to happen?

jrlim · 04/07/2010, 08:48 PM

That's a possibility. Also possible there is something wrong with your zoas. Are they melting away? Any sign of white dots on them?

jk1nole · 04/07/2010, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrlim

That's a possibility. Also possible there is something wrong with your zoas. Are they melting away? Any sign of white dots on them?

Doesn't look they they are melting or have any white dots. It honestly does look like they are being picked at because the super glue looks lifted from the rock. It was pretty firmly stuck down.

JacobO · 04/07/2010, 09:40 PM

My emerald crab likes to pick at EVERYTHING! He's moved rocks, corals, and even my thermometer! I watched him systematically destroy my cheato too. IME, ban him to the sump or QT lol.

KMUNCC · 04/07/2010, 10:01 PM

good to know knock on wood no need for emrald crab yet but this is valuable info.

jvr1102 · 04/07/2010, 10:48 PM

Everytime I have put a male (large) emerald crab in my tank they pick at the corals and I have to remove them

jk1nole · 04/08/2010, 08:35 PM

Yep... I have two males... I even asked about them picking on my corals. I'll have to take them back since I think the bubble algae is taken care of.

LawmanRob · 04/08/2010, 09:38 PM

Please do, found mine picking pieces off of my Duncan.

jeepguy242 · 04/08/2010, 09:43 PM

i suspect one of mine is doing it too. i got 3 zoas left in what used to be 10-12 on a frag disk and it looks as if they were just ripped off the glue holding them to the disk, didnt think about it till reading this post, but i did put it right in front of his cave

stevek480 · 04/09/2010, 08:11 AM

Yep I watched my emerald crab eating a frogspawn frag, and I banished him to the sump.

daniel89 · 04/09/2010, 08:21 AM

im glad my lfs was out of emeralds when i was gonna get some and went with sally lite foot crabs and its been awesome doesnt eat none of my corals

jk1nole · 04/10/2010, 08:28 PM

Got both of them in the sump. Just took the second one out now after I caught him going to town on my acan... So irritated at myself for letting them stay in there too long.

Does anything else eat bubble algae if it comes back?

100%hydrophylic · 04/10/2010, 08:34 PM

not really. i have always had really good luck with emerald crabs. never seen any coral picking and never experienced mysterious polyp disappearances and i always have atleast 1 emerald in my tanks.

Atlanticmarine · 04/10/2010, 08:35 PM

Emerald crabs by nature are omnivorous.... And as soon as they eat what you want them to eat take them back to your supplier ;-)
Mithrax are scavengers by nature I find them all day long on dead fish and seamatt beds here in the keys... Well I used to before the super cold winter lol now only the reds are here...
Xoo's have attractive algae and waste that crabs love to munch on... Be sure there is no snail shell in the xoo bed that's black and white ... Has a huge tooth like projectile for a snout.... That could be the problem too....

jdyer88 · 04/11/2010, 04:56 PM

I had a nice big patc of zoas and overnight it was half gone. Checked the next night with a flashlight and sure enough, my emerald crab was feasting on them. He was immediately banished to the sump. They absolutely will eat zoas, and I have not bought one since!

reefvilla · 04/11/2010, 06:44 PM

Mine will pick inbetween them at times but I've never seen them clamp down on the zoos....

04/07/2010, 08:22 PM	#1
jk1nole Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 211	Emerald Crabs Pick at Zoas?? Just got a couple emeralds for my 65 a couple weeks ago to combat some bubble algae that started. The algae seems to be taken care of. But, what was once a small patch of Zoas starting to do well is now looking crappy and picked at. Not sure what else could have done it besides the new guys... although I haven't personally seen it. Does this tend to happen?

04/08/2010, 09:43 PM	#9
jeepguy242 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Winston Salem NC Posts: 370	i suspect one of mine is doing it too. i got 3 zoas left in what used to be 10-12 on a frag disk and it looks as if they were just ripped off the glue holding them to the disk, didnt think about it till reading this post, but i did put it right in front of his cave __________________ Greensboro NC area reef club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef, 40 gallon sump, mag 9.5 return, quiet one 6000 closed loop, reef octo NWB-150 2010 model, diy kalkwasser reactor and ATO, 3 250 watt MH 14k

04/09/2010, 08:21 AM	#11
daniel89 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: West Ashley, South Carolina Posts: 145	im glad my lfs was out of emeralds when i was gonna get some and went with sally lite foot crabs and its been awesome doesnt eat none of my corals __________________ To have the power to hold and maintain a entire eco system and life itself and have it in your grasp is amazing and shouldn't be taken for granted, so don't screw it up cause then you will be compared to god and you don't want that. Current Tank Info: 125g Reef, 50g sump, vertex in180, 3 KORALIA 3's, mag 12 return, marineland 72" pro light fixture 3-150w MH 8 t5ho actinics

04/10/2010, 08:34 PM	#13
100%hydrophylic Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: GA Posts: 1,636	not really. i have always had really good luck with emerald crabs. never seen any coral picking and never experienced mysterious polyp disappearances and i always have atleast 1 emerald in my tanks. __________________ :) Current Tank Info: 75g mixed reef, 28g nano SPS

04/07/2010, 08:48 PM	#2
jrlim Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 75	That's a possibility. Also possible there is something wrong with your zoas. Are they melting away? Any sign of white dots on them?

04/07/2010, 09:40 PM	#4
JacobO Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Rochester, IL Posts: 99	My emerald crab likes to pick at EVERYTHING! He's moved rocks, corals, and even my thermometer! I watched him systematically destroy my cheato too. IME, ban him to the sump or QT lol.

04/07/2010, 10:01 PM	#5
KMUNCC Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Woodleaf, NC Posts: 61	good to know knock on wood no need for emrald crab yet but this is valuable info.

04/07/2010, 10:48 PM	#6
jvr1102 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Chicago Posts: 521	Everytime I have put a male (large) emerald crab in my tank they pick at the corals and I have to remove them

04/08/2010, 08:35 PM	#7
jk1nole Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 211	Yep... I have two males... I even asked about them picking on my corals. I'll have to take them back since I think the bubble algae is taken care of.

04/08/2010, 09:38 PM	#8
LawmanRob SPS Addict Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Knoxville, Tn Posts: 576	Please do, found mine picking pieces off of my Duncan.

04/09/2010, 08:11 AM	#10
stevek480 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Flemington, NJ Posts: 605	Yep I watched my emerald crab eating a frogspawn frag, and I banished him to the sump.

04/10/2010, 08:28 PM	#12
jk1nole Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 211	Got both of them in the sump. Just took the second one out now after I caught him going to town on my acan... So irritated at myself for letting them stay in there too long. Does anything else eat bubble algae if it comes back?

04/10/2010, 08:35 PM	#14
Atlanticmarine Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 14	Emerald crabs by nature are omnivorous.... And as soon as they eat what you want them to eat take them back to your supplier ;-) Mithrax are scavengers by nature I find them all day long on dead fish and seamatt beds here in the keys... Well I used to before the super cold winter lol now only the reds are here... Xoo's have attractive algae and waste that crabs love to munch on... Be sure there is no snail shell in the xoo bed that's black and white ... Has a huge tooth like projectile for a snout.... That could be the problem too....

04/11/2010, 04:56 PM	#15
jdyer88 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Riverside, California Posts: 434	I had a nice big patc of zoas and overnight it was half gone. Checked the next night with a flashlight and sure enough, my emerald crab was feasting on them. He was immediately banished to the sump. They absolutely will eat zoas, and I have not bought one since!

04/11/2010, 06:44 PM	#16
reefvilla Moved On Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Missouri Posts: 464	Mine will pick inbetween them at times but I've never seen them clamp down on the zoos....