emerald crabs

PiscesLou · 03/27/2006, 08:48 PM

I have 5 of them in my tank for about a month, I recently bought a yellow tang that still a bit under weight for its size and weak. I came home today and one of the crabs had a hold of the tang's tail trying to eat it! Luckily my QT was still up and the tang is recovering. Has anyone ever had this happen?

sherm71tank · 03/27/2006, 08:51 PM

No, but I witnessed one eating one of my neon green polyped leathers. He is no longer with us ( the crab that is ).

TippyToeX · 03/27/2006, 08:54 PM

One of the very reasons I don't put crabs in my tanks. Knowing they are opportunistic omnivores I will no longer take the risk.

Sk8r · 03/27/2006, 08:54 PM

I have one, a female (I'm told with some crabs, this is important in behavior). I had a chance to have another, as one came in as a hitchhiker with a rock. I very quickly bagged same and took it back to the lfs, one, because I'm honest, and it's a fairly pricey crab, and two, because one is quite enough. It still hasn't touched the caulerpa it was supposed to go for, but I'm told when it gets bigger it may. I have a little watchman goby that sits a great deal, but they've never crossed paths. The day they do, that crab goes.

PiscesLou · 03/27/2006, 08:57 PM

I ve noticed they will eat anything thats dead,about to die or weak.

PiscesLou · 03/27/2006, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TippyToeX
One of the very reasons I don't put crabs in my tanks. Knowing they are opportunistic omnivores I will no longer take the risk.

I just got these crabs that came with a reef package, right now I think I have about 20 blue legged and 10 scarlet reef hermits, I thinkin of get rid of them along with the 5 emeralds.

PelagicMagic · 03/27/2006, 09:17 PM

add a trigger

PiscesLou · 03/27/2006, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PelagicMagic
add a trigger

thats funny I did some research this weekend on what kind of trigger I can put in a reef ( blue throat) now thinkin a picaso

Scuba_Dave · 03/27/2006, 09:23 PM

I've always had crabs...in the tank

Never had much of a problem, and I had a pretty big emerald & 2 other pretty big crabs in my fuge

I added crabs to my 125g in a restock of clean-up crew. The 1st week they never moved from where I put them in. They picked the rock work clean of algae in about a week & then spread out to the rest of the tank

I think they do a better job then snails

I added 3 emeradls - small - and just saw the 1st one after about 5 weeks. I think they are afraid my sailfin will make an appetizer out of them

Sk8r · 03/27/2006, 09:31 PM

I'm very fond of my scarlets and bluelegs, the minuscule kind that favor cerith shells. Never had any trouble or destruction out of them, and IMHO, the more fish I run the more important to have a megaload of detrivores.

PiscesLou · 03/27/2006, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scuba_Dave
I've always had crabs...in the tank
Never had much of a problem, and I had a pretty big emerald & 2 other pretty big crabs in my fuge

I added crabs to my 125g in a restock of clean-up crew. The 1st week they never moved from where I put them in. They picked the rock work clean of algae in about a week & then spread out to the rest of the tank

I think they do a better job then snails

I added 3 emeradls - small - and just saw the 1st one after about 5 weeks. I think they are afraid my sailfin will make an appetizer out of them

Ive had them before also without any problems but these ones that I recently purchase seem to be very aggressive, this incendent isnt the first time.The last time, I couldnt get the fish without breaking down my rock work

Brent Thomann · 03/27/2006, 11:44 PM

I came home one day to fine my emerald holding/eating a new under wait powder blue tang. errrh! the things also eat half of the porties on my christmas tree rock.

Paintbug · 03/28/2006, 11:07 AM

i have always had crabs in the tank. i have found if you feed them they dont hunt for food as much. i have a fairly large male right now. i had a pair, but just the other week, the male grabbed the female by the claw trying to take some food from her she found. ended up ripping her claw off. she later died. im assuming from the stress caused. i have had both of them for about 7-8 month without any problems. they never bothered a coral, or fish. the male will take a blue leg hermit and shake them once in awhile but never kill it. myself, i like the crabs.

i will say 5 in a 75g is to many emeralds.

03/27/2006, 08:48 PM	#1
PiscesLou Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stockton,ca Posts: 106	emerald crabs I have 5 of them in my tank for about a month, I recently bought a yellow tang that still a bit under weight for its size and weak. I came home today and one of the crabs had a hold of the tang's tail trying to eat it! Luckily my QT was still up and the tang is recovering. Has anyone ever had this happen?

03/27/2006, 08:54 PM	#3
TippyToeX Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 10,711	One of the very reasons I don't put crabs in my tanks. Knowing they are opportunistic omnivores I will no longer take the risk. __________________ -Amy-

03/27/2006, 08:54 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I have one, a female (I'm told with some crabs, this is important in behavior). I had a chance to have another, as one came in as a hitchhiker with a rock. I very quickly bagged same and took it back to the lfs, one, because I'm honest, and it's a fairly pricey crab, and two, because one is quite enough. It still hasn't touched the caulerpa it was supposed to go for, but I'm told when it gets bigger it may. I have a little watchman goby that sits a great deal, but they've never crossed paths. The day they do, that crab goes. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/27/2006, 09:31 PM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I'm very fond of my scarlets and bluelegs, the minuscule kind that favor cerith shells. Never had any trouble or destruction out of them, and IMHO, the more fish I run the more important to have a megaload of detrivores. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

03/28/2006, 11:07 AM	#13
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	i have always had crabs in the tank. i have found if you feed them they dont hunt for food as much. i have a fairly large male right now. i had a pair, but just the other week, the male grabbed the female by the claw trying to take some food from her she found. ended up ripping her claw off. she later died. im assuming from the stress caused. i have had both of them for about 7-8 month without any problems. they never bothered a coral, or fish. the male will take a blue leg hermit and shake them once in awhile but never kill it. myself, i like the crabs. i will say 5 in a 75g is to many emeralds. __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

03/27/2006, 08:51 PM	#2
sherm71tank Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 3,670	No, but I witnessed one eating one of my neon green polyped leathers. He is no longer with us ( the crab that is ).

03/27/2006, 08:57 PM	#5
PiscesLou Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stockton,ca Posts: 106	I ve noticed they will eat anything thats dead,about to die or weak.

03/27/2006, 09:17 PM	#7
PelagicMagic Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,671	add a trigger

03/27/2006, 09:23 PM	#9
Scuba_Dave EMERTXE YID Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Asylum, South of Boston, MA Posts: 10,362	I've always had crabs...in the tank Never had much of a problem, and I had a pretty big emerald & 2 other pretty big crabs in my fuge I added crabs to my 125g in a restock of clean-up crew. The 1st week they never moved from where I put them in. They picked the rock work clean of algae in about a week & then spread out to the rest of the tank I think they do a better job then snails I added 3 emeradls - small - and just saw the 1st one after about 5 weeks. I think they are afraid my sailfin will make an appetizer out of them

03/27/2006, 11:44 PM	#12
Brent Thomann Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: T. Tonawanda, NY Posts: 1,825	I came home one day to fine my emerald holding/eating a new under wait powder blue tang. errrh! the things also eat half of the porties on my christmas tree rock.