Does anyone use emerald crabs to controle bubble algae.

[Tx Medic]

I have some small amounts of bubble algae on my candy canes skeleton and on my torch corals skeleton. I have one emerald crab and he hasn't touched it. Its a 29 gallon mixed reed so I know I cant have any tangs but do I have any other options besides manual removal. Could I get more emerald crabs or would that be asking for trouble.

 

[CoralHut]

Emeralds can be hit or miss with bubble algae. The amount of other more desirable foods available to them can make a difference. They will sometimes make coral there target food before bubble algae in low food situations but this is true with just about any animal. Sally lightfoot crabs will get much bigger but tend to eat bubble algae more often than not.

 

[Finnaddict]

Emerald crabs have always worked for me on the bubble algae. I have never had a problem with them eating corals and I never seen a Sally touch bubble algae either. They will however steal food from my corals during feeding time.

 

[CoralHut]

Sally lightfoots Definitely have there downsides. They are better suited for larger tanks but in my experience better at eating bubble algae than emeralds. Results will always vary in this hobby

 

[CoralHut]

Sally lightfoots Definitely have there downsides. They are better suited for larger tanks but in my experience better at eating bubble algae than emeralds. Results will always vary in this hobby

 

[vic67]

It is definitely hit or miss with Emerald Crabs and BA. And I don't completely trust EC with small zoa polyps either.

 

[mfinn]

I added 3 emeralds to my 50 lps/sps tank to go after a bubble algae problem. 3 days later my yellow multibanded pipefish turned up missing. I'd had that guy for a year and half and it was very healthy and active. Within 2 more weeks a small mini colony of yoda zoanthids turned up missing and a mini colony of utter chaos was gone too.

 

[wildcrazyjoker81]

I have 2 in my 150 and 1 in my 55 and not any bubble algae in sight. Guess I got lucky. No harmed corals or fish either.

 

[CoralHut]

Your outcome will have a lot to do with stocking density and the amount of available food. If you put ten emeralds in a ten gallon tank with nothing but zoanthids and 3 pieces of bubble algae you are probably going to have problems. Animals are opportunistic and will try to source the food that takes the least amount of energy to get. If I was stuck inside of a McDonalds that happened to have three tofu burgers hidden somewhere i'm probably not going to go hunting for them. I have five emeralds in a 120 gallon tank that has 150 pounds of live rock, 30 fish, and zero room left for corals. I have never noticed any coral missing but if a few things disappear here and there I would not notice anyway. This tank gets a ton of food. Point is there are so many variables and results will vary. Emerald crabs are a good option to try for bubble algae removal IMO

 

[Tx Medic]

ok so I have one emerald crab and he has eaten all the larger bubble algae but he wont touch the small stuff. I am about to upgrade to a 55 do I have any other options in a slightly larger tank.

 

[Browncoat]

Just manually remove it....

 

[Tx Medic]

Just manually remove it....

have been but I have lots of small bits everywhere its very hard to get it all.

 

[Eienna]

have been but I have lots of small bits everywhere its very hard to get it all.

If you do manually remove it DO NOT do it underwater, as those bubbles contain whatever it is that makes baby algae....

 

[Browncoat]

^That's what everyone says.... How do u think a emerald crab does it? Think he doesn't pop it under water?...

As long as your nutrients are under control. Remove what you can manually. Don't worry about it spreading. I removed mine in my old tank that way with no new bubble algae that came back. But if you'd nutrients arnt under control you could expect more bubble algae or a different algae to come up.

 

[Eienna]

I think what happens with the crab is that he eats the new ones before they mature. Just a guess, though.

 

[FL_Reefer]

You have better success with them eating bubble algae if you get small females. In my experience with emerald crabs the males tend to '' go off the beaten path'' in what you expect them to do in your system. The females are less aggressive and tend to stay eating algae and not turn towards other food sources. I had 6 in my 220 and they did the trick within about 2 weeks or so. Maybe I'm lucky, maybe not but they worked well for me.

 

[babyjess210]

I use a couple of Emerald crabs with success

 

[reggaedrummin]

I have had a lot of emeralds over the years and my observation is that it comes down to the sex. Get small females and you'll have success. Get males and you'll have trouble ranging from missing fish to shredded corals and everything in between. You can tell the sex by the size of their pinchers and the shape of their carapace. It's easiest to tell when they're side by side, and your lfs should be able to point you in the right direction. Imo the males don't belong in and aren't reef safe, they do however make great puffer snacks

 

[prinaudo]

I have 1 emerald in a 40 mixed reef, the crab is a male and has never gone after any coral or fish, he is a model member of my reef.

 

[reggaedrummin]

Let me clarify that I'm not saying all males are going to cause problems. There certainly is a difference in experience from one animal to the next and a variety of factors that contribute but what I did mean to say is that the only emeralds I've ever had give me trouble were male so if given the choice, I'd recommend avoiding them in a reef.