emerald crabs???

odlaw · 01-09-2002, 06:36 PM

Can someone post a good pic of an emerald crab so I know what to look for when I purchase one. An lfs in my area has what they call reef crabs and they are green but I don't know if this is an emerald.
Thanks

mojoreef · 01-09-2002, 06:54 PM

odlaw · 01-09-2002, 07:14 PM

Thanks mojo.
Thats what they called reef crabs.

mojoreef · 01-09-2002, 08:53 PM

Becareful with them odlaw. Try to get them very small. When their main shell gets to be as big as a quarter thier diet changes, and they usually start to seek meat.

Good luck
Mike

dwyatt · 01-09-2002, 09:28 PM

I definately agree with Mojo. I mysteriously lost two small fish before I caught my larger emerald (body just smaller than a quarter) yanking a blue leg hermit right out of its shell and devouring it alive before my eyes. They are very good grazers though and generally won't bother the corals. I still have my smaller female (I traded the hungry one in at my LFS).

FishDaddy · 01-09-2002, 09:39 PM

Odlaw,
These are definitely not in the category of Ornamental crabs! Unless you have a specific need, such as for Valonia control, I would recommend against one, or any other crab!
As I mentioned in another thread, all crabs sold as Emeralds are not necessarily Mithrax sculptus and even M. sculptus exhibit varying behaviour. I've had 3 different ones and they each behaved differently.
Dick

Junkzoo · 01-10-2002, 08:20 AM

ditto on the cons toward emeralds. got three one time to combat bubble algae,,could not figure out why my candy cane corals were looking bad,,,until i saw one of them munching on it!

. needless to say, i had to remove darn near ALL the rockwork and livestock from the tank to remove the lil buggers(and my wife watched one yank the plume off a feather duster)

. never saw them interested in the bubble,, be forwarned if you get some , and have trouble with them,,,you are in for a tank re-decorating!IMO,i would avoid emeralds,,,

RacingReefer · 01-11-2002, 04:13 PM

After starting my tank up a few weeks ago I had a good amount of bubble algae popping up. So I looked around and couldn't find any emerald crabs. I did pick up two scarlett hermits and ten turbo snails to get started on the other algae in the tank and just the other night I caught the hermit crab eating the bubble algae. As of this morning it's all gone.

Bil

DantheMan · 01-11-2002, 10:15 PM

I had an Emerald Crab for the last 6 months and was a great scavenger. I had an infestation of bubble algae and he completely kept it in check. The problem is they do have a liking for corals IMO. My Emerald ate my entire Capanella one night and the next day mysteriously died? I don't believe I'll be getting another one, although they do do a great job on that bubble algae!

odlaw · 01-12-2002, 08:02 AM

Thanks,
I have a very bad case of bubble algae and its starting to grow on some corals even. Any other ideas???

Junkzoo · 01-12-2002, 10:23 AM

Racin' reefer,, glad you got a emerald that knew what you wanted it to do!,,,,now watch out now that the bubble is gone,,,,,it probably will try to munch on other stuff that you may not want it to eat ie: corals,feather dusters, fish etc. been there, had that