Bad emerald!

[alki]

My new Emerald was cought munching on my nice piece of coral. (Name forgotten long ago)
He has been doing a great job on my bubble algae, but this was not good. If I move the coral up do you think that will help?? I had 2 before who didnt touch this thing.

I watched him actually rip the side apart and eat it.

 

[cali_reef]

I had that happen to me when I used them to control bubble algae too. They started off eating the smaller bubble algae, then moved on to picking at the flesh off te tips of my SPS corals.

All the crabs became fresh food for my trigger.

 

[Reefreak]

Mmm....... crab cakes yummy

 

[mattj206]

On occasion they may touch or pinch a coral- but I find this to be rare - and have never had any damage done. I have had some zoanthids pulled loose when infested with algae.

They are 99 percent reef safe I think.

 

[alki]

eek. If they touch my sps then crab cakes for sure. I actually smacked him when he was doing this. I will keep an eye on him.

He is doing wonders for some wierd type of algae that was growing on one rock, I will moniter him. I think I might move this coral up anyway, just to be safe since it really should have more light.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I consider them reef safe. Similar with astarina stars, have never seen a coral injury CAUSED by them, but have seen many picking at corals with food on them, or already sick from another cause. Most cases of "proven" emerald crab predation, soon after have discoved a major problem in the system. I consider these similar to canary in the mine.

 

[alki]

Well this one was ripping apart the coral in the pic. literally pulling the soft flesh away. You can see the edge where it did this. The coral was not sick either and has been in this system for a long time from a tiny frag.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

I never had a problem with my emerald other then getting big. I always thought he was eating my coral but only picked at the food around the corals.

and if yours is pulling the flesh off of corals I would take it out and toss him in the sump or fuge if you have one.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Some crabs look similar to emeralds yet are more omnivorous than cleaner

Your's sure looks like an Emerald though

 

[alki]

After doinng some research it looks like when they get large they often have problems like this. Looks like I will be getting a smaller one, when/if I can get him out.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Or try feeding him, perhaps a bit hungry. When anything gets starved, all bets are off and maybe your tank is too clean for him :>)

 

[cali_reef]

Or try feeding him, perhaps a bit hungry. When anything gets starved, all bets are off and maybe your tank is too clean for him :>)

You think crabs (and fish) living in a tank like this will be hungry?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Looks pretty clean to me! See 100s-1000s of filter feeders in that bare bottom system.
Great tank!!!!

 

[Kyle9021]

wow that is a great tank!

 

[HumblePie]

Whoa. Nice tank. Can't let my pico see this or it'll have tank envy...