are emerald crabs reef safe?

[NSimpkins]

I have 2 I emerald 1 ruby. As people said hit or miss. My ruby got too large while my emerald sayed nice and small. Had to move ruby to sump due to size.

[tkeracer619]

My mag foxface eats bubble algae. I grew an aptasia forest for my butterflies over a few months and as they destroyed it my foxface ate the bubble algae hiding underneath.

[Cgreene]

Emerald crabs will eat bubble algae,but in doing so they pop the bubble. Inside bubble algae are spores and will spread your bubble algae. As long as you have emeralds, they will keep popping the bubble algae so you won't see them. Best case is to try to loosen the bubble algae and take out of tank without popping them (sometimes impossible).

[Salty_Life]

We just learned the hard way about these little guys. We put two in the tank on Sunday, we added our very first corals to the tank yesterday. Not even 10 mins in the tank a frag of two polyps gone. We caught the little s.o.b. red handed! The proof still in his claw! I was so stinking mad and devastated for that little frag. We managed to catch both of them and put them in our smaller tank for the time being. I'm still ticked off and they are lucky the didn't go in the disposal!

[BryanS4]

I caught mine eating the chit out of some expensive Acans, tossed them out back in the canal right away.

I've since gotten rid of the hermits as well, no chances.

[ReefCowboy]

I've resisted to add them to my tank since I've heard all stories of them being coral pickers. The bubble algae started getting out of hand and I HATE that pest. Finally added emerald crabs and the little critters cleared all bubble algae in 2 weeks. I can't see a single piece. I've noticed them picking here and there but nothing that the coral won't recover fast. The following day I would not see them closed of missing pieces...
I do however feed my tank heavily and know they get food everyday left out on the sandbed. If you run a low nutrient system, and barely feed the tank, they will starve and try eating something. Feed the tank and you will be fine IMO

[vitodog]

Originally Posted by Nina51

thanks for the input, everybody. guess i'll just cruise for now and worry if the bubble algae gets worse.

i've never really understood adding a certain fish just to take care of a pretty minor problem. my tank isn't big enough for a fox face and even if it was, i've gone to great pains to make sure i have good non-aggressive, community fish so adding something like that is out of the question.

Foxface are not normally aggressive and in fact are considered peaceful. They may be too large for your system, but are not considered aggressive.

[fitnessitalia]

I have two that live in my blue stylopora

[fitnessitalia]

they eat coral those foxfaces

[Nina51]

i'm maxed out on fish so adding so much as a guppy ain't gonna happen. the bubble algae doesn't really bother me. my rock is mostly covered with corals so i only see little bits of it here and there.

[kgeig001]

I've had emerald crabs for for a long time in my reef tank. I have never had a problem with them eating any corals and I have at least seven or more (lost track) emeralds in my 90 gallon. They will eat hair algae as well as bubble algae. I think a lot of people see them on a prized piece of corals picking away and immediately assume they are eating your pride and joy when actually they are just eating what's sitting on the coral such as old uneaten fish food.

[murdock84]

I had a pretty bad hair algae problem going on during my tank start up. I added a few emeralds to my CUC and within two nights my algae was gone. Half the tank each night was pretty much cleaned bare of visible algae. I do think one of them clipped my pipe organ frag. However I glued the clipped off part to a new frag plug and it looks better now. My two peppermint shrimp danced all over my new acans the second they touched the sand bed but they are looking good too. So far so good. I may try to give the bigger one I have to a friend if he still has bubble algae issues.

[Cowdogz]

All I keep is soft corals in a 50-gallon. I theoretically have 2 emerald crabs. I see one every month or two. Never see them both at the same time.

[Miguelh1302]

Originally Posted by Cowdogz

All I keep is soft corals in a 50-gallon. I theoretically have 2 emerald crabs. I see one every month or two. Never see them both at the same time.

maybe because you have only 1 left!!!!! lol

[whiteshark]

I have one, as well as a tank FULL of bubble algae. I had to chase it out of an acro on day 1, but never saw it actually do anything to it. Since I have seen it pluck at the algae on occasion and haven't seen it near a coral. That said, I still don't know about the little bugger.

As for the algae, don't underestimate it. Even in my low nutrient SPS system it's really taken over after being only a couple bubbles and is very unsightly.

[reefchase]

I have 3 big Emerald Crabs and i love them!