Should I evict my emerald crab?

ArchXIII · May 8, 2020

My last tank, I never had any crabs but thought they were cool, so this time I got two that I always wanted. An emerald crab and Halloween hermit. Both have been good so far

However, I was about to go to bed and noticed my elegance was fully closed. Which is weird, because it will mostly close at night, but not fully. So, I inspected.. And saw my emerald on it. Now my elegance is 100% my favorite thing in my tank, I adore it. So I freaked, and immediately shooed the crab away and gave it a chunk of algea wafer. He's tucked in the rocks chowing down. However, I couldn't tell if he was cleaning it, or eating it, I just wanted him off it. Should I be safe and remove it? I'm seeing a lot of mixed things on them online.

In the picture I circled the spot I found it on. My elegance is back to how it usually is at night now.

Flippers4pups · May 8, 2020

ArchXIII said:
My last tank, I never had any crabs but thought they were cool, so this time I got two that I always wanted. An emerald crab and Halloween hermit. Both have been good so far

However, I was about to go to bed and noticed my elegance was fully closed. Which is weird, because it will mostly close at night, but not fully. So, I inspected.. And saw my emerald on it. Now my elegance is 100% my favorite thing in my tank, I adore it. So I freaked, and immediately shooed the crab away and gave it a chunk of algea wafer. He's tucked in the rocks chowing down. However, I couldn't tell if he was cleaning it, or eating it, I just wanted him off it. Should I be safe and remove it? I'm seeing a lot of mixed things on them online.

In the picture I circled the spot I found it on. My elegance is back to how it usually is at night now.

Could have been stealing food or.....

They can be opportunistic feeders, so I'd watch it very closely for sure. They can go rogue and start in on LPS once they get a taste. Seen it before.

ArchXIII · May 8, 2020

Flippers4pups said:
Could have been stealing food or.....

They can be opportunistic feeders, so I'd watch it very closely for sure. They can go rogue and start in on LPS once they get a taste. Seen it before.

Oh at the very least I'm keeping an eye on it.. But I'm super tempted to just remove him. I love my coral, and while he's cool, I want a peaceful tank.. Or if I supply him with the occasional hand feeding will it be fine?

Flippers4pups · May 8, 2020

ArchXIII said:
Oh at the very least I'm keeping an eye on it.. But I'm super tempted to just remove him. I love my coral, and while he's cool, I want a peaceful tank.. Or if I supply him with the occasional hand feeding will it be fine?

Maybe.

fishguy242 · May 8, 2020

just my opinion ,evict ,can be nasty little buggers

Flippers4pups · May 8, 2020

fishguy242 said:
just my opinion ,evict ,can be nasty little buggers

That and peppermint shrimp! They are known LPS munchers.

Copingwithpods · May 8, 2020

I've kept many emerald crabs and it is 50/50. The ones that do pick on coral never do enough damage to cause any concern and if battling bubble algae or hair algae it might be a trade off worth making. For example,my crab likes pulling knobs off recordia mushrooms, specially the nice ones. Never enough to kill them or hurt them fatally but enough that I notice.

They do munch on coral every now and then. Ask yourself if you are OK with that, if not get rid of it. Emerald crabs much like angels and blennys sometimes eat corals. How much and how often depends on the individual. Some do it often some do it once a year but 100% are capable of it.

35ppt · May 8, 2020

Redacted

Tamberav · May 8, 2020

By the look of how clean your rock is...the crab probably didn't have much choice of stuff to pick at. They like to scavenge and pick at algae...perhaps you added him too soon.

hikermike · May 8, 2020

I have 3 emeralds in a 29 gal tank. I have 20+ corals. The crabs don't touch them. However, they do crawl all over them and pick things out between them so it may look like they're nibbling. My Halloween hermit on the other hand, will frequently steal food away from them.

dbowman5 · May 8, 2020

I like Emeralds. I also like Pit Bulls. I rehomed my emeralds when one was eating a zoa and took a colt coral off of the the rock i placed it on and took it under the boardwalk for a date. probably innocent fun but...

AZMSGT · May 8, 2020

Took mine out, it was eating my Zoas.

ArchXIII · May 8, 2020

Copingwithpods said:
I've kept many emerald crabs and it is 50/50. The ones that do pick on coral never do enough damage to cause any concern and if battling bubble algae or hair algae it might be a trade off worth making. For example,my crab likes pulling knobs off recordia mushrooms, specially the nice ones. Never enough to kill them or hurt them fatally but enough that I notice.

They do munch on coral every now and then. Ask yourself if you are OK with that, if not get rid of it. Emerald crabs much like angels and blennys sometimes eat corals. How much and how often depends on the individual. Some do it often some do it once a year but 100% are capable of it.

Not really okay with it, and I've seen too many replies on here that they can munch on coral. Probably getting an eviction notice tonight.

ArchXIII · May 8, 2020

Tamberav said:
By the look of how clean your rock is...the crab probably didn't have much choice of stuff to pick at. They like to scavenge and pick at algae...perhaps you added him too soon.

It's not as clean as that picture leads you to believe, (not a matured tank either though). There coralline on my rocks, but all other algea that grows seems to get eaten fast, I've noticed my cuc, though small, does a good job. But I also will put either a few crab pellets or break up a wafer every few days, and I happened to skip the day I usually do, since I had an algea bloom in my water column (water was crystal when I got up this morning).

Redfoxtang · May 8, 2020

Agreed with everyone else. Had to remove mine also. Not only was it eating LPS it was also flipping snails over and had them for lunch as well.

Ann Enomy · May 8, 2020

I have never had any luck with any crabs. Eventually they go evil. I had an emerald for 3 years as a model citizen then turned on my zoa’s one day and nearly wiped them out before I was able to trap him. But there are many success stories. Just like with the dwarf angelfish, there is always the risk.

ArchXIII · May 10, 2020

Ann Enomy said:
I have never had any luck with any crabs. Eventually they go evil. I had an emerald for 3 years as a model citizen then turned on my zoa’s one day and nearly wiped them out before I was able to trap him. But there are many success stories. Just like with the dwarf angelfish, there is always the risk.

Caught him on my toadstool appearing to have a snack. Got evicted. It was an easy time getting him too. Sad, but I'll pick my coral over a crab any day.

ArchXIII · May 10, 2020

Redfoxtang said:
Agreed with everyone else. Had to remove mine also. Not only was it eating LPS it was also flipping snails over and had them for lunch as well.

Yeah.. He just got evicted. Caught him on top of my toadstool appearing to have a snack. Never again.