Bubble Algae - Emerald Crabs - Good or Bad?

[joe-ejs]

Hello, I am starting to get a break out of Bubble Algae in one of my tanks. I am thinking of getting a few Emerald Crabs to help remove them. Are they still considered a good solution for getting rid of the algae? Also, is there a specific kind of emerald crab that I would need to get? there seems to be a common name for them, but I see them in Green and Brown Colors.

Thanks

 

[Sharkbait19]

Common emerald works fine. Ruby or regular do the same thing as far as I know.
They do a number on bubble algae, just be sure to keep it well fed so it doesn’t go after corals.

 

[Enderg60]

colors dont matter, they will help with bubble algae but dont expect them to fully take care of the problem.

 

[Bj’s Reef]

I added them to one of my frag tanks a few weeks ago. So far they have done a good job. They haven’t eliminated it. However they have it under control now.

 

[NotoriousDMC]

I have several in my tank, and I can see them eating it. Still have some, and don’t care. In fact, I like seeing SOME “under control” algae as it provides me another indication that I’m not bottoming out nutrients.

 

[bnord]

in 3 mature tanks, all with (female) Emeralds, the only Valonia I have is on power heads and snail shells, were the crabs can't go.

I have read that the red crabs are deeper water, and more reef denizens, but I dont know this for sure and anecdotally have not lasted as long for me (short months vs years)

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

i cant keep them. they ALWAYS go after my Euphyllia. I suicide them everytime I see them touching my beatuies. One of the few areas I have had success was buying a foxface. They are not a perfect remedy but they have ben the best cure I have found.

 

[Steve2020]

Reef Cleaners recommended Pitho Crabs over Emeralds for my 255g tank and they wiped out my Bubble Algae in a matter of days. Have never bothered any of my corals. Unfortunately they seem to be hard to come by lately. Reef Cleaners has been out of them for awhile now.