Emerald crab / ugly stage / marco dry rock

[KingCaesar]

Hi All!

My 3 month old tank had an explosion of diatoms and green hair algae, I added a few snails and an emerald crab as some CUC to reel some of it in.

The emerald crab is GOING TO TOWN on this algae and is super fun to watch, however, as he is scraping away at the rocks he sometimes breaks little pieces off, chews on them and then spits out big mouth-fulls of marco rock dust into the water column. Is this normal? Every time I go check in on the tank it seems like there's particles floating around (that eventually get filtered out). Is this just some marco breakdown that will eventually stop or will this crab keep chipping away at the rock? It's interesting to see the crab expel chunks of dust, I'm just not very happy about my water clarity!

Thanks!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi All!

My 3 month old tank had an explosion of diatoms and green hair algae, I added a few snails and an emerald crab as some CUC to reel some of it in.

The emerald crab is GOING TO TOWN on this algae and is super fun to watch, however, as he is scraping away at the rocks he sometimes breaks little pieces off, chews on them and then spits out big mouth-fulls of marco rock dust into the water column. Is this normal? Every time I go check in on the tank it seems like there's particles floating around (that eventually get filtered out). Is this just some marco breakdown that will eventually stop or will this crab keep chipping away at the rock? It's interesting to see the crab expel chunks of dust, I'm just not very happy about my water clarity!

Thanks!

Normal- yes. As for diatoms- an indicator of presence of silicates from sand and rock and reduction of white light intensity and hours will assist with hair algae and diatoms
In addition to your emerald, add a few astrea and trochus snails and even a pencil urchin
Siphon diatoms as needed until they subside and assure phosphate levels not elevated

 

[KingCaesar]

Normal- yes. As for diatoms- an indicator of presence of silicates from sand and rock and reduction of white light intensity and hours will assist with hair algae and diatoms
In addition to your emerald, add a few astrea and trochus snails and even a pencil urchin
Siphon diatoms as needed until they subside and assure phosphate levels not elevated

Great, thanks!

I was considering reducing the lights, but was thinking that maybe leaving them like this, allowing nature to run it's course, and feeding these little critters might be better? The last thing I was to do is choke out the food source if these guys can take care of it? I have the emerald, a handful of dwarf ceriths, 2 trochus, and a 2 astrea. I thought it would be better to build up a CUC based on the presence of algae / add more if needed / see if they starve or die off over time?

tank params are at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 phosphate, and like 10-20 nitrate I'm trying to WC down every few days.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Great, thanks!

I was considering reducing the lights, but was thinking that maybe leaving them like this, allowing nature to run it's course, and feeding these little critters might be better? The last thing I was to do is choke out the food source if these guys can take care of it? I have the emerald, a handful of dwarf ceriths, 2 trochus, and a 2 astrea. I thought it would be better to build up a CUC based on the presence of algae / add more if needed / see if they starve or die off over time?

tank params are at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 phosphate, and like 10-20 nitrate I'm trying to WC down every few days.

What Test kits are you using?
Is tank at or near a window?

yiu can run it’s course as long as the algae is not growing faster than the cleaners can consume

 

[KingCaesar]

What Test kits are you using?
Is tank at or near a window?

yiu can run it’s course as long as the algae is not growing faster than the cleaners can consume

API saltwater and reef - I've read they can be less-than-accurate, however I started this hobby with expectations to build into fancier or more expensive equipment as time goes on.

Yes, the tank is within about 5 feet of a window in a basement, with blinds mostly closed so there's not direct sunlight on the tank, but it could be reasonably stated that there is ambient light in the room.

 

[vetteguy53081]

API saltwater and reef - I've read they can be less-than-accurate, however I started this hobby with expectations to build into fancier or more expensive equipment as time goes on.

Yes, the tank is within about 5 feet of a window in a basement, with blinds mostly closed so there's not direct sunlight on the tank, but it could be reasonably stated that there is ambient light in the room.

Many suspicions hence the question.
the windo …. UV rays are stronger than realized and will penetrate curtains, shades and blinds and will contribute to algae issues
The test kits- yes, known for false readings which I generally Recommend taking a sample of water to a trusted LFS that does not use API test kits and see what readings they come up with

 

[Duncan62]

Hi All!

My 3 month old tank had an explosion of diatoms and green hair algae, I added a few snails and an emerald crab as some CUC to reel some of it in.

The emerald crab is GOING TO TOWN on this algae and is super fun to watch, however, as he is scraping away at the rocks he sometimes breaks little pieces off, chews on them and then spits out big mouth-fulls of marco rock dust into the water column. Is this normal? Every time I go check in on the tank it seems like there's particles floating around (that eventually get filtered out). Is this just some marco breakdown that will eventually stop or will this crab keep chipping away at the rock? It's interesting to see the crab expel chunks of dust, I'm just not very happy about my water clarity!

Thanks!

Sounds like normal to me. The cloudy water isn't from one crab. It's a bloom of some kind.

 

[KingCaesar]

Sounds like normal to me. The cloudy water isn't from one crab. It's a bloom of some kind.

Nah, not a bloom, I randomly caught it on film a day or two ago while filming my RBTA: https://youtube.com/shorts/oOmz8tFuf0s?feature=share

 

[Duncan62]

Nah, not a bloom, I randomly caught it on film a day or two ago while filming my RBTA: https://youtube.com/shorts/oOmz8tFuf0s?feature=share

If that causes a bloom I'm in trouble. I keep 5 per 30 gallons in every tank. That crab didn't cause the cloudy water. If your filter can't handle the particulate matter produced by one emerald crab your in trouble. Don't blame the crab for milky water.

 

[KingCaesar]

If that causes a bloom I'm in trouble. I keep 5 per 30 gallons in every tank. That crab didn't cause the cloudy water. If your filter can't handle the particulate matter produced by one emerald crab your in trouble. Don't blame the crab for milky water.

I never said it caused a bloom I said it gets in the water column and floats around until filtered out. I asked if it was normal for crabs to scrape Marco rocks (as in: are Marco rocks supposed to be chipping away so easily) - I never even called the water “milky” - and if you watch the video, you’ll see the crab expel the dust.

 

[Duncan62]

I never said it caused a bloom I said it gets in the water column and floats around until filtered out. I asked if it was normal for crabs to scrape Marco rocks (as in: are Marco rocks supposed to be chipping away so easily) - I never even called the water “milky” - and if you watch the video, you’ll see the crab expel the dust.

My apologies. You mentioned unsatisfactory water clarity and I assumed. You crab will always scrape at rocks and you nem look fat and happy. It's normal. Had a cloudy water pic in my head from a previous topic. ✌