To Crab or not to Crab

Scribe · Sep 23, 2013

So I'm on the edge. I haven't had crabs in my tank since I switched from my 29 to my 90...not that I ever had problems, but had heard stories, and decided to keep them out. Well now I'm dealing with a little bit of every kind of algae in my tank and thinking of giving them a shot again. Thinking of some blue legs or red legs, as well as some emerald crabs to take care of some valonia. It's a mixed reef tank zoas/lps/sps.

Scribe · Sep 23, 2013

Sorry the blue/red legs wouldn't be for Valonia. Got some hair algae and some cyano too for them to feast on.

jedidad · Sep 23, 2013

I have always found blue leg and red leg hermits to be pretty good citizens. I wouldn't worry about adding them to any reef. I wouldn't expect them to help with a cyano problem though.

revhtree · Sep 23, 2013

Good thread!

Scribe · Sep 23, 2013

I didn't think they would help with the Cyano either, but I was just reading on a certain site that they would. Needless to say I thought I'd give them a shot again. Curious to hear what others experiences have be....good or bad. I know they are somewhat easy to get out, so if they become a little too comfortable in the DT they is a bed all ready for them in the sump.

mrs.nanoreef · Sep 23, 2013

Mr saltwater tank has a good guide on fixing algea and it has a money back guarantee. Also hermits are fine. Emeralds might be risky but should be fine if there is enough for them to eat. You could try an urchin as well just make sure it's reef safe and frags are glued down.

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Sun357 · Sep 23, 2013

I loved my hermits in my last tank but they did cause troubles knocking things around and being little troublemakers chowing on snails from time to time. This time I said NO HERMITS!! but now I think i'm changing my mind. ARGH! I think i'm going to maybe do a couple is all though and not very many. Will give them plenty of empty shells too. Now to decide on what are the 'safest' for my tank.

philr · Sep 23, 2013

I had never had and have never purchased any crabs. I thought they were trouble. Recently perhaps a year ago a red leg crab appeared in my sump. I added him to the tank, he must have been on some rubble rock I purchased for the refugium. to date the crab has not been any problem. Just today I found my scooter blenny sitting on top of the crabs shell.. Neither seemed to mind the other.

Rob in Puyallup · Sep 23, 2013

Love hermits except for the knocking things over thing. Have a minor problem with bubble algae in the tank now. I bought an Emerald Crab several weeks back then put it in the quarantine tank, too nervous to put it in the display, fearing it'll make a bigger mess than the hermits!

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socal619 · Sep 23, 2013

hermits are good in my book, they dont roll over and die. i had a emerald for bubble alage did a good job. he started to try to go after my fish once he got big, banished him to the sump. also had turbo snails that would bulldoze though my frag rack, got them a new home.

Scribe · Sep 23, 2013

Seems like over all so far hermits are getting a good vote. Think I might out like 5 or 10 in the 90 and see if they help. What's the worst that happens they eat all my corals kill my fish and double my algae problem? :yield:

cimmorine · Sep 23, 2013

Hermits imo are a must have. Great scavengers and grazers. I've had mine clean my corals, disturb the sand, and work on algae all over my tank. I would definitely add some if I were you and add scarlets. By far my favorite!

Hydrahawk · Sep 23, 2013

I went with blue-legged hermits when I started reefing. I found that they could/did attack snails. So now, I am all about scarlet reef hermits.

gonpostal · Sep 23, 2013

The only hermits I don't mind having in my tank are Scarlet Reef hermits, IME they're not as aggressive as the red legs or blue legs. I only have a small handful in my 120 and they spend most of their time on the rocks looking for algae, I'm never worried about them picking off my snails. I don't know what kind of snails you have in your tank, but I like the Banded Trochus and Mexican Turbo snails for algae control.
Emerald crabs are hit or miss with bubble algae. I have a little bit of bubble algae so I picked up a few Emeralds, but I never see them eating the stuff.

CountrySideCoral · Sep 23, 2013

I have a variety of crabs in my two tanks. Blue legs, red legs, brown legs, and one electric blue knuckle. The blue knuckle is a bruiser but he is awesome and I would like to get a Halloween one for my frag tank. Also, I have always had an emerald crab or two in my systems. They are fun to watch and have never harmed my coral or fish.

jimmybling31 · Sep 24, 2013

I have 3 different varieties in my tank scarlet, blue legged, and some other type that wasn't listed as completely safe. They all do fine though aside from them making my rbta decide to move to the underside of a rock when one of them found an algae patch under it. That made me mad, but no real harm done. I just have to wait to get a good view of my rbta again.

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StevenBell · Sep 24, 2013

Never had issues with blue legged hermits...but it could explain where my bumblebee snails went :sad:

mrs.nanoreef · Sep 24, 2013

Scribe said:
Seems like over all so far hermits are getting a good vote. Think I might out like 5 or 10 in the 90 and see if they help. What's the worst that happens they eat all my corals kill my fish and double my algae problem? :yield:

They don't eat coral or live fish or cause algea so you're good there. The only trouble hermits will give you is knocking things over or eating snails. Hope that helps. Emeralds on the other hand may go after fish if they are big but it takes awhile and you can sump them at that point.

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Mole · Sep 24, 2013

Definitely do what you can to stay away from the emerald crabs... I've had issues with them picking at my corals. As for the hermits... the scarlets and blue legs have been great at keeping detritus inder control and they are fun to watch fall off of the rocks... but, they DO knock things over so just make sure nothing is balanced precariuosly and you should be fine.

Dustin1300 · Sep 24, 2013

They add good character to the tank and only negative is that you'll have them get a hold of a snail from time to time. I don't get overly concerned about that and think with any CUC you have to restock from time to time. I find scarletts to be less aggressive than blue legs but I keep both. Ready to add a couple hundred to my tank soon as it's got enough for them to chew on now