Emerald crab eating rock anemone

[moorjames]

Little backstory:

so I tried to move the rock anemone today because it was on the sand and getting a little deep- not realizing it was attached to the rock and bottom of the tank until it was too late. The more I dug the deeper it went. I just went through this with another one but it worked out ok. This time- I think I injured it’s foot- though I’m not really sure if I did or not- but I assumed I did.
Anyways I moved it to the front rock to rest and heal- and my 1 and only emerald comes up to it and started picking flesh off the foot. The rock anemone closed right back up after opening a little bit- so I separated them thinking it was a one time thing. An hour later- I see the emerald had the entire thing sideways and munching on it. I have no idea if the rock anemone is still alive at this point- it’s had a horrible day.

 

[moorjames]

It’s def not happy

 

[sfin52]

I would imagine the crab is starving. I think when thier natural food is gone they start going rogue due to starving.

 

[moorjames]

I did think about that- though figured he had enough to eat around the tank.

 

[jamie1210]

Nope, emerald crabs are crazy opportunistic. I don't trust them at all. Another culprit is peppermint shrimp. They don't all behave this way, but a few years back, I was wondering why my flower anemones started vanishing one by one overnight. So I decided to stay up after lights off. Hours later, when I shined a flashlight, sure enough, I saw a peppermint shrimp picking at my remaining ones. Because I had 6 at the time and I didn't know which one was doing it, I ended up taking all of them out.

Eventually, I got aiptasia again, and future peppermint shrimps behaved like model citizens

 

[moorjames]

Oh dang- I just added a peppermint yesterday

 

[jamie1210]

Oh dang- I just added a peppermint yesterday

Peppermint shrimp eating a rock flower anemone only happened to me once.

Another time, a batch of peppermints ate the polyps off Birdnests, stylo's and digitatas! (This actually happened w/2 different batches I bought!)

I figured, you can't expect an organism to JUST eat aiptasia. They're not that smart! haha

 

[Sharkey18]

As my algae disappears, I actually feed my emeralds. I put a small piece of nori right near them and they gobble it up. I do it maybe once a week. Hoping if they aren't too hungry they will behave.

 

[dimitrinivo]

I HATE EMERLAD CRABS, i wont trust ANY CRAB, not even large hermit crabs. I caught my emerald crab munching on my $400CAD scolymia which earned him a trip back to the LFS. The only crabs I trust in a reef tank are pom pom crabs, porcelain crabs and tiny blue leg hermits

 

[moorjames]

Update: def doesn’t look as happy as it did a couple days ago. Looks a little cloudy and puffy. Mouth is closed but I just wonder if too much damage was done yesterday with me trying to move it (and possibly damaging it) and the crab ripping off some flesh

 

[moorjames]

Well the mouth is open now. Feels like just a matter of time

 

[RedReefer]

No crabs allowed in my tank!