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Unread 11/16/2012, 02:37 AM   #1
Osteichthyes
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Angry Emerald crab!! Help!

So recently I purchased a big frogspawn (well at least I think so, its has 5 heads) and I put it next to my old one with 2 heads. Few days later, one of the heads from my older frogspawn branch started shrinking, so I moved it away. When I moved it away, I noticed that my emerald crab was munching on the little tentacles of the shrunken frogspawn and this morning I woke up and all the little tentacles are gone. So now I've got a few questions....

1.) Are emerald crabs known to pick at corals? I feed my tank with some brine shrimp everyday, enough for all the crabs and hermit crabs and my fish.

2.) Is it possible that my new frogspawn stung my old one? I thought members of the same species of frogspawn didn't sting each other.


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Unread 11/16/2012, 05:33 AM   #2
bebangs
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live aquaria says
"Care needs to be taken to ensure an ample supply of food is available for the Emerald Crab. Many aquarists supplement the Emerald Crab's diet with dried seaweed and chopped meaty foods, such as shrimp, as well as a quality pellet fish food.

Otherwise, this opportunistic feeder may turn to corals, invertebrates, or small fish for a food source. However, when well fed, most Emerald Crabs are very tolerant of their tankmates and highly compatible in reef environments. Like other invertebrates, the Emerald Crab does not tolerate copper-based medications or fluctuating water parameters"


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Unread 11/16/2012, 08:13 AM   #3
Guygettnby
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Yes they are known for possibly munching on some corals or irritating them. Just keep them fed with supplemental feeding and you should not have a problem.


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Unread 11/16/2012, 12:39 PM   #4
Osteichthyes
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Okay thanks guys! Ill just drop in some more food for him here and there hopefully he'll stop picking at my corals!


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Unread 11/16/2012, 12:51 PM   #5
Guygettnby
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Funny that I just posted in this thread earlier... I just got home to find one of my small emerald crabs ripping pieces out of my Duncan. Banished to the sump he is lol..


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Unread 11/16/2012, 12:58 PM   #6
rainmkr07
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I caught mine eating a tank bred cardinalfish. I'll never have emerald crabs again.


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Unread 11/16/2012, 01:04 PM   #7
trinity1012
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wow im glad mine neve has developed a taste for other creatures,mainly because he eats the daggum bubble alage

he is so big im gonna need to call the time bandit to get him out of my tank at some point...lmao


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Unread 11/16/2012, 01:21 PM   #8
Osteichthyes
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Oh man. Those darned emerald crabs!! Grr. How are you supposed yo catch him???


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Unread 11/16/2012, 01:39 PM   #9
Guygettnby
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I just reached in and grabbed him...


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Unread 11/19/2012, 06:35 AM   #10
rainmkr07
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Quote:
Originally Posted by trinity1012 View Post
wow im glad mine neve has developed a taste for other creatures,mainly because he eats the daggum bubble alage

he is so big im gonna need to call the time bandit to get him out of my tank at some point...lmao
the bigger he gets, the more dangerous he gets. ie the bigger fish he can and will eat. its just a matter of time. i would remove him sooner than later. if you don't, just keep an eye on your fish. if they start disappearing...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Osteichthyes View Post
Oh man. Those darned emerald crabs!! Grr. How are you supposed yo catch him???
I just used a net.


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Unread 12/04/2012, 08:35 PM   #11
BobbyV
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They are evil! They love to eat Duncan's! If you stick them in an isolated tank with just rock and hair algae, they will destroy the algae - but in this environment they have no other choices. Veggies are awesome when I am starving to stay alive, but fries are much tastier!


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Unread 12/04/2012, 08:52 PM   #12
NemosNems
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Yep, mean little suckers, if they are not eating them they are throwing them down from the rocks to look under them.


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Unread 12/04/2012, 09:09 PM   #13
SushiGirl
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Yes, the one coral could've stung the other, and the crab could've been cleaning up the dying head.


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Unread 12/04/2012, 10:56 PM   #14
ReLPSef
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My emerald's only "clean up" the corals that are already dying.


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Unread 12/05/2012, 12:50 AM   #15
Osteichthyes
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So even frogspawns can sting each other if they're not of the same colony?? I already removed the emerald crab, traded him for a Peppermint shrimp to get rid of some aptaisia that was in the tank... few days later saw the peppermint shrimp munching on one of my superman mushrooms.. so I went and traded it for a blasto frag haha


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Unread 12/05/2012, 04:21 AM   #16
Jpruitt546
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I will never own another emerald crab for a reef tank. i have seen them eat frogspawn, hammers, duncans and munch on polyps of my sps. They do look cool but in a fish only setup IMO.


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Unread 12/05/2012, 04:21 AM   #17
Jpruitt546
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And yes even the same species of corals will sting each other.


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Unread 12/05/2012, 03:05 PM   #18
darkiss
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No the same species and sub species of corals should not sting each other. Did you not read the AA artical?

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2012...aign=clickthru


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