Nano Crabs?

[PowderBlue518]

I am looking to put some crabs into my 12gal nano . Im not sure what kind to get? I heard that there were as certain type that "sifted" through the sand to keep it free of algea. Any information and recommendations would be great. Thanks Jill

[ycrazyy]

As for crabs in a nano, my recommendation would be a few scarlet (red legged) hermits and an emerald crab. I would also say get some snails, an assortment of cerith's, astrea's and mexican turbo's.

[PowderBlue518]

Thank you :)

[Poorcollegereef]

emerald crabs can be preditory to smaller fish (not always, but they can) hermit crabs are the best way to go. and maybe a porcelain crab might be a nice touch if you want to house a filter feeder, I havent heard any preditory accounts from porcelains as I have heard about emeralds.

[rockindacheeks]

i have an emerald crab and 4 scarlet hermit crabs, and they dont bother anyhing

[Blazer88]

I have an Emerald in my main tank that has an appetite for my Kenya tree's. Both will be banned to the fuge as soon as I catch 'em out in the open. My porcelain in the nano doesn't touch a thing and his little arms are hilarious when he feeds.

[Agu]

I'd agree that scarlet hermits are the best crab for any reef tank. They're active foragers that don't kill each other as often as other hermits.

I can't seem to keep emerald crabs alive in any of my nano tanks.


Porcelin crabs are filter feeders and there may not be enough food in the water column to sustain them in a nano .

[rsteagall]

Yes, I've witnessed an emerald crab being a predator.

As for the person that recommended thescarlet (red legged) hermits, an emerald crab,cerith's, astrea's and mexican turbo's.... I don't know how big your nano is, but thats a huge cleanup crew. I have 2 mexican turbos in my 58gal and I'm certain that is max.

Beware how much cleanup crew you add. If you don't have much cleanup, you'll probably kill most out.

[Cutiewitbooty]

you only have 2 snails in your 58 gal? I have about 10 margarita snails in my 25 gal and want to add about 10 more. I also have about 6 hermits and wat about 5 more of them. None are starving, the eat the film algae that develops on the glass, so i don't have to use the magfloat as much.

[Poorcollegereef]

mexican turbos have earned the name turbo! I have one for my 20L and I take him out after because he strips everything clean. I place him in my sump and then in a week, that is clean and I place him in my main tank again. I would go for a few smaller snails rather than one or two large ones.

[fishfanv]

i have a porcelain anemone crab in both my 12g nano & my 2.5g nano. they have been there for a long time, in fact were both one of the first creatures in each tank (the 12 is a year old & the 2.5 is almost a year). but for sand sifting i would also recommend the hermits, as they porcelains do not sift sand. in fact, mine rarely even venture onto the sand, instead preferring the rock.