Arrow Crabs -- Pros and Cons

[Pegasis]

Hello,

I am interested in getting an Arrow Crab to get rid of some Bristleworms. I know that some people like them, but I don't want them in my tank. With that said, I would like to know the Pros and Cons of Arrow Crabs.

I have some hermit crabs, some snails, a Yellow tang, A Scooter Blennie, a Serpent Star and a Brittle Star, a Pencil Urchin and another Urchin, an Emerald Crab and a Sally Lightfoot Crab. I have what came on LR. I was hoping that I could get an Arrow Crab to take care of the Bristle worms without doing harm to the other tankmates.

Please let me know your feelings about this.

Thank you,

Steven

[Brooke]

Take this for what it's worth...purely anecdotal. Every arrow crab I have ever seen in a LFS has always been gnawing on a dead fish. Did it kill the fish? I don't know. Why do you want to get rid of the bristle worms??

Brooke

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[Raszagil]

Hi!

I second the arrow-crab-eating-dead-fish thing.

All crabs are omnivores, and will take lunch whenever and wherever from whatever they can. http://www.thereeftank.com/ubb/biggrin.gif Add one at your own risk...that, and bristle worms are 100% benificial for your tank, they are great scavangers. The only exception is fire worms, which can give you a lovely sting.

They are safer then hermits, IMO... but if you have to have them out, get a clean glass bottle, put some frozen shrimp pieces in the bottom, prop it up against the rock and start harvesting the little guys.

My 2 cents...

Raz

[This message has been edited by Raszagil (edited 01-26-2001).]

[MRIGUY]

I have tried an arrow crab years ago and was amazed ot how efficient it was. Nothing could knock over corals, Harrass fish, murders snails or create mayhem as well as it could. He went to live with some nice people on a farm where he will have lots of room to run and play.

[naser]

i too had an arrow crab....notice the had. ate some fish.ate some crabs arms off...tried to eat me when i stuck my hand in the tank.... there cool looking if you dont mind them eating everything else.....any crabs well theyll be lunch for an arrow. have a nice day

[Pegasis]

I am completely confused now. I was originally told that there were basically three things in a tank that you didn't want:
Mantis Shrimp, Bristleworms and Aptasia Anemoneies.

I don't have any Mantis Shrimp, I removed the Aptasia Anemonies that were there (4), and I have so far caught 4 Bristleworms and removed them.

My LFS "Reef Specialist" was adamant about getting rid of Bristleworms. I am new to all of this, I read books and other Web sources that supported the same thing -- get rid of the Bristleworms.

I thought I was doing the right thing. The point was brought even closer when I inadvertently picked one up with my hand when I was putting in the LR and of course got "stung".

All of you make sense, now I am in a quandry. I was all geared up to "go hunting" after the lights went out each night and each morning to get these things.

Let me ask you all this...is there ANY detrement to these worms? Will they hurt or kill ANYTHING in my tank ie. corals, anemonies, fish, snails, abalone, shrimp, crabs, polyps, etc..........???????

If not, then I guess I will let them do their thing and stop my hunting.

Thank you,

Steven


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pegasis@concentric.net

[Brooke]

First off, make sure you have the right identity. Bristle worms are considered good, but fire worms are definately bad. Here's a pic of a fire worm. They are much wider than a bristle worm. http://home.istar.ca/~rsimms/fworm.jpg

Here is a picture of a bristle worm:
http://www.actwin.com/fish/marine-pi...arunculata.jpg

From what I know, bristle worms turn over the sandbed and keep it from clumping. They are also detrivores and help process detritus. Usually when you hear, "a bristle worm ate my coral", is because it wasn't really a bristle worm...or it just happened to be on or near it. Most of my bristles stayed in the sand and in the rocks and peeked out at feeding time.

Brooke

[Pegasis]

Thanks Brooke,

I am 99% sure that the pic of a Bristle worm is what I have been catching. The Worm on the top pic seems to have much more obvious segments and the "bristles" are in clumps whereas the Bristleworm in the bottom pic is smoother and has an uninterupted row of bristles on each side of the body.

This definately helps. At least I know that I am dealing with Bristleworms. Thank you very much for the pics. You know what they say "a picture says a thousand words"...with so many species in a reef, this really cleared things up. http://www.thereeftank.com/ubb/smile.gif

Steven

[MRIGUY]

Pegasis,

I think you should bag the crab idea and embrace the bristle worms. The will never get out of check with reasonable husbandry practices. They can get large and their sting is indeed painfull. Meat tenderizer works as does the vinegar but I prefer hot water. The venom in bristle worms and most corals for that matter is thermally unstable and will quickly breakdown above 120-130 degrees.

[Alice]

Just FYI; the regular garden-variety bristle worm also gives a "sting". The bristles are slightly venemous and stay lodged in the skin. You can dissolve the bristles in a bowl of water with meat tenderizer or with vinegar. I've heard that Gene (ReefKeeper) pours Elmer's Glue on the affected area, lets it dry and then peels them off with the glue http://www.thereeftank.com/ubb/wink.gif

Fire worms give a NASTY sting.

~Alice

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Reefkeeping is my life; I can't afford a hobby too!