Are pom pom crabs reef safe?

[Echo2656]

So i have a 30 gallon with a ruby red dragonet and a linear blenny(inverts are 1 skunk cleaner shrimp and 2 zebra snails). I wanted to get a pom pom crab to join my clean up crew and pick up extra food and detritus, but i have heard that they can sometimes be not reef safe and because dragonets are kinda slow I don't want mine getting stung my an anemone. Thanks, what are your thoughts?

 

[Spare time]

Eh if it punches the dragonet with the anemone, the fish should be fine in my opinion.

 

[i cant think]

So i have a 30 gallon with a ruby red dragonet and a linear blenny(inverts are 1 skunk cleaner shrimp and 2 zebra snails). I wanted to get a pom pom crab to join my clean up crew and pick up extra food and detritus, but i have heard that they can sometimes be not reef safe and because dragonets are kinda slow I don't want mine getting stung my an anemone. Thanks, what are your thoughts?

I had my old one in a 20g cube (15g display) with a Griessingeri Goby among other gobies and he was completely fine with it.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Eh if it punches the dragonet with the anemone, the fish should be fine in my opinion.

Just visualized this happening and I can't stop laughing.

 

[Spare time]

Just visualized this happening and I can't stop laughing.

I saw it happen with a melanarus wrasse and I couldn't stop laughing either. Its as funny as it sounds

 

[flashsmith]

I'm kinda over crabs in my tanks. Seems I'm always replenishing my snails because the crabs kill them all off. Get some Nassarius snails.

 

[PR_nano]

I have one with goby/pistol, pink streaked wrasse which some nights I see him next to the wrasse cacoon. Mine lost both Pom Pom and he only has the tiny claws. There is also peppermint shrimp and emerald crab so far no issues even without the Pom Pom.

 

[i cant think]

I'm kinda over crabs in my tanks. Seems I'm always replenishing my snails because the crabs kill them all off. Get some Nassarius snails.

Pom Pom Crabs don’t take out snails, these are the smaller hermits that do that. The reason why is due to them needing a bigger shell and there may not be any left.

 

[NanoJHB]

Pompoms are reef safe and such a pleasure to have in the tank. Had mine over a year now in a nano packed with corals.

Hasn't bothered any corals, fish or snail at all.
You won't see it all the time, but when you do, it's a real treat

 

[jkcoral]

A number of years ago I used to have a small horde of Pom Pom crabs. I’ve never once experienced any issues with them, and I have honestly never heard a single person claim they were not reef safe. I loved watching them roll around doing their thing, and also when they meet up on top of the rocks for combat haha.

Out of the 14 or so I had, a few lost one or both of their Pom Poms. For the ones that lost one, they’d just rip a piece off of their other Pom Pom (anemone) and eventually grow a new one. For those that lost both, they would try and hijack a Pom Pom from another crab! Awesome little creatures.

 

[i cant think]

A number of years ago I used to have a small horde of Pom Pom crabs. I’ve never once experienced any issues with them, and I have honestly never heard a single person claim they were not reef safe. I loved watching them roll around doing their thing, and also when they meet up on top of the rocks for combat haha.

Out of the 14 or so I had, a few lost one or both of their Pom Poms. For the ones that lost one, they’d just rip a piece off of their other Pom Pom (anemone) and eventually grow a new one. For those that lost both, they would try and hijack a Pom Pom from another crab! Awesome little creatures.

A mini army of pom pom crabs sounds both hilarious but also terrifying haha.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

I saw it happen with a melanarus wrasse and I couldn't stop laughing either. Its as funny as it sounds

Ok now I am definitely adding a pom pom crab to my next ReefCleaners order.

 

[Alexopora]

Pom poms are a delight to have and prob the only reef safe true crab I’d trust with corals. Its quite shy but when its feeding time its out and about waving althought it will occasionally disappear for a few days and then pop back up again, assuming it molted. I think it helps if your tank inhabitants esp those residing in the rock work arent a threat to your pom poms, they’ll be out more. Mine lives with sexy shrimps and the even more shy Saron shrimp.

 

[ZipAdeeZoa]

As long as they have their pom poms yes

when I was newer to reefing I got one and eventually its nems died. After this happened my hammers (favourite corals) started to look rough. Eventually I caught him with the decapitated polyps of my hammers! Waving them at me to send a message- I had very much let him down… I took him back to the store so he could get new nems from another pom pom. I’m definitely going to get another once I know my tank is ready for it because they are awesome but you need to make sure they have access to cheerleading equipment at all times!

 

[Alexopora]

As long as they have their pom poms yes

when I was newer to reefing I got one and eventually its nems died. After this happened my hammers (favourite corals) started to look rough. Eventually I caught him with the decapitated polyps of my hammers! Waving them at me to send a message- I had very much let him down… I took him back to the store so he could get new nems from another pom pom. I’m definitely going to get another once I know my tank is ready for it because they are awesome but you need to make sure they have access to cheerleading equipment at all times!

Imagine if it decided to frag clove polyps instead and wave it around

 

[Tamberav]

I had one that would harass my candy cane pistol. I thought the stupid crab was going to get popped and die one day. He was the only jerk Pom Pom I ever had though. He would pick up corals after losing his Pom poms, he killed a small red Bali nem.

I’d say 99/100 are fine though. I know on nano reef someone saw the Pom Pom stung their Tailspot and they said the fish freaked out and died. Maybe shock? Again, seems like such a rare thing.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

I was really hoping to get one of these guys - but, either my melanurus (probable suspect) or hawkfish has started unaliving snails, so I'm guessing a pom pom wouldn't be safe in my tank unless it was ready to punch a fish in the face...