Reef Safe Crab

[saltlife26]

I have a Fluval 13.5 gal tank and looking for a reef safe crab. Any recommendations? Thanks

 

[Ron Reefman]

Blur leg hermit crab is an algae eater and good for clean up. If you want a different kind of crab, a porcelain crab is harmless but they tend to hide in the rocks all the time (in my experience). A Mithrax crab might be OK but in a 13g tank, you'll have to make sure it gets food.

At one point a few years ago I collected 20 porcelain crabs (the legal daily limit) out of sponges on the beach after a storm front went through. I dropped them in my 180g tank and the only time I ever saw any after that was when I pulled a coral colony or a rock out of the tank. There was almost always one or two attached. But they just didn't walk around where I'd see them in the open.

I assume by your avatar that you are in Florida too?

 

[saltlife26]

Blur leg hermit crab is an algae eater and good for clean up. If you want a different kind of crab, a porcelain crab is harmless but they tend to hide in the rocks all the time (in my experience). A Mithrax crab might be OK but in a 13g tank, you'll have to make sure it gets food.

At one point a few years ago I collected 20 porcelain crabs (the legal daily limit) out of sponges on the beach after a storm front went through. I dropped them in my 180g tank and the only time I ever saw any after that was when I pulled a coral colony or a rock out of the tank. There was almost always one or two attached. But they just didn't walk around where I'd see them in the open.

I assume by your avatar that you are in Florida too?

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I'm in Florida. I was looking at the blue leg hermit. What about an emerald crab?

 

[fermentedhiker]

Porcelain anemone crabs are nice if you have a rock flower or maxi mini. Because they stay around the anemone they are usually visible. Pom pom crabs are neat but I didn't see mine too often.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I'm in Florida. I was looking at the blue leg hermit. What about an emerald crab?

Emerald crabs (proper name is Mithrax Crab) are reef safe most of the time. There have been instances when a reefer has reported an emerald crab eating something it wasn't supposed to eat. My guess is this is more often a crab eating algae that is growing in a field of zoas or other coral and the viewer has mistakenly assumed the crab was eating the coral. They are algae eater and in a small tank it may be difficult for you to have enough algae in the tank to keep it well fed. They do eat nori, as do many other algae eaters. So having some nori in a clip very near the bottom of the tank (or where ever the crab hangs out) should work to keep it fed.

 

[saltlife26]

Emerald crabs (proper name is Mithrax Crab) are reef safe most of the time. There have been instances when a reefer has reported an emerald crab eating something it wasn't supposed to eat. My guess is this is more often a crab eating algae that is growing in a field of zoas or other coral and the viewer has mistakenly assumed the crab was eating the coral. They are algae eater and in a small tank it may be difficult for you to have enough algae in the tank to keep it well fed. They do eat nori, as do many other algae eaters. So having some nori in a clip very near the bottom of the tank (or where ever the crab hangs out) should work to keep it fed.

Great, thank you!