Someone suggest a crab. No hermits.

[cherubfish pair]

Someone suggest a crab. No hermits.

[zma21]

In the same boat. I wan't a crab for the nanocube that's safe with my zoa garden.

[Thizzelle686]

how about an emerald crab or an anemone crab. I have both in my BC29. I belive both are reef compatibale.

[zma21]

are there any that are red or orange?

[Mark426]

pom pom crab...super reef safe

http://www.marinedepotlive.com/pom-p...ts--crabs.html

[scaast]

sally lightfoot

[Daemonfly]

Porcelain crab. Not a "true" crab, and coral safe.

Emeralds are not 100% reef safe. It generally is luck of the draw whether you get a "good" one or not.

[SuperNerd]

What characteristics in a crab are you trying to exclude?

[jjmg]

I'm guessing a fiddler is not what you want, not a snow crab either. Blue crabs are tasty. So are stone crabs.

What are you looking for? What would like this crab to do?

[saltman123]

Porcelain ALL THE WAY!

They look awesome, and are filter feeders so they don't pick at corals and stuff. Mine definitely ate Mysis shrimp like crazy, but I never once saw it bother anything else.

Emeralds on the other hand are questionable.

Get a porcelain, you'll like it, trust me.

[cherubfish pair]

Eat nuisance algae.

[cherubfish pair]

I know these aren't crabs, but are sexy shrimp reef safe?

[jjmg]

Sexy Shrimp are reef safe. They won't eat algae. Hermits or emeralds are best here. Why do you dislike hermits?

[saltman123]

I've read a few people's posts that Sexy's have eaten polyps....and not once, but more than once. I'm not taking the risk. They sure do look cool though.

[jjmg]

Something I haven't heard. I'll take that into account.

[saltman123]

If you are thinking shrimp over crabs, Cleaner shrimp are hands down the shrimp with the most personality. My blood shrimp hides all day and night, but cleaners will dance around the tank all day, every day. They will even clean your finger if you put your finger at the top of the tank. To have such personality in a tank changes everything. I had one that died off a while ago, and got a new one today. Cleaner shrimp rule!

[cherubfish pair]

Originally posted by SuperNerd
What characteristics in a crab are you trying to exclude?

No hermits because they're so picky about their shells when it's time to get a new one and they might not find one they like.

[mattb71]

porcelain crabs or emerald crabs are the best. I would worry the pom pom crabs would sting corals if they had their anemones.

[d9sccr]

I had an emerald in a nano to eat nuisance algae...I was also attempting to pair some clowns in the same one...about week after buying him, he cut a deep gash in one of the clowns, it died shortly after. Def not reef safe

[nietzsche]

lol speaking of the hermits being choosey, i saw one that left its shell behind to look for a new one and my YWG ate it.

my emerald crab is a bastard that terrorizes my ywg though. still cant catch him

[NanoReefWanabe]

my hermits arent that picky...just have lots of snails on hand...LOL

come to think of it i havent seen my hermits for a week or so...maybe my pistol finally got them..

[cherubfish pair]

NRW, I think my pistol ate a few astreas. I don't think it was my ocellaris which was the only other thing in there. I just found my snail shells empty. Do you think your 6line might have gotten some?

[NanoReefWanabe]

nope, six line was just added...havent seen crabs for some time now..
or shells.....

astreas can be short lived if food is running tight...

if they die, bristle worms will clean them out over night...it is quite neat to watch them rip and tear at the flesh...i have a couple 6" worms in my tank that actually drag the snails across the sand...over to where it is they are living..it's pretty wild..

mind you i have been stung with the little white fur a couple times...it is like pulling fiberglass out of your skin..(not fun for those of you who havent done it...pulling and finding the fur in your skin.)

[Saltwaterstart]

Maybe a sally lightfoot crab would do.

[mattb71]

i heard sally lightfoots are fish eaters. And I think they get rather large.