Best Cleaning crew IMO Emeralds

[mattj206]

Ive been reefing for about 2 years now, and have tryed many different cleaning crews. Now I just keep about 10 emerald crabs in my 75 gallon display. After 1 year of struggling with algea and pests, the tank is gorgeous again. They keep all the rocks clean. They climb the powerheads and clean those. They can reach between corals where snails can't go. They scrape the walls clean. THEY DONT KNOCK OVER ANYTHING! I love theese guys! Crab haters be gone! All I do now is vaccum detritis and change water. I can see a golden age forming in my tank.

 

[bradreef]

there are negatives though. they can attack things when they get big and harrass SPS polyps. not my favorite.

 

[jesshimom]

No emeralds in my tank! All my emerald would do is sit and eat my orange and green zoas.... and NO he was not picking between them he was eating them. He is in crab heaven now.

Crabs suck!

 

[Brenden]

I agree crabs are not the best. A little of everything seems to work best for me. I had to remove several emeralds when they got to big. As with most anything in this hobby there is a chance of getting a "bad apple"

 

[mattj206]

My emeralds do clean between my zoanthids, and sometimes they become dislodged.Sometimes they will walk on the sps, but I have'nt seen any harm. I havent seen any problems from my crew - they have been here about 3 months - I understand they can be a problem if they run out of algea completely, but reefing is a balancing act on all accounts. Every cleaning crew I've had has a set of problems to deal with. One thing I KNOW - Emeralds can really clean!

 

[matts125]

I'll never put those things in any reef of mine again! I thought they were good cleaners too untill I caught them eating my lps corals they wiped out a 8'' fox coral and a large bubble coral. not to mention they will eat small fish if they can catch them. (crabs will be crabs) and they dont have a place in my reef!

Matt

 

[burning2nd]

little bit desterbing, im sorry, but my emerald didnt make it. maybe because of the fact that when i bought him (in of a stupid moment in life) he was missing like almost all of his legs?

i dont think he even got a chance to pic at my sps's and zoa's

i do have another crab in there tho, i think its called a rock crab or something he has molted and got a little bigger

 

[Blazer88]

I caught mine red-handed with a freshly clipped kenya tree in his claw one day eating it like a popsicle.

 

[chrisdaphish]

i have a question.. does anyone has experience with emeralds and clams?

 

[brady816]

well my guy just had a peperment shrimp