[nobomb17]

What is the deal with emerald crabs. I want to get some. Can they eat Fish or anemones? Will they fight with each other?

[mmille9905]

I am sure there is someone here that knows more than me, but mine do not mess with anything all they do is feed off of the live rock eating algae and uneaten food. If you have a lot of rock you may not see them very often. The books say that they can eat fish that are smaller than them if they were to completly run out of food, but that is super rare if ever. Also they stay pretty small so not to many fish are smaller than them anyway. I am not sure what size tank you have but I do know they get along fine together. My friend has 4 in his 55 and they dont pay any attention to each other. Mickey!

[Fishhead Junkie]

emerald crabs are a piece of cake. just buy um and drop them in. they keep to themselves, eat bubble algae, scraps off the ground. the only time they really raise their claws is when a fish gets a little to close and its just their way of saying..hey, get away from me. every few days i'll break up and drop in some veggie rounds tablets into the tank. the emeralds along with all the other hermit crabs come out of the woodwork to try and grab them. i have had them die on me rather suddenly but now that my tank seems more stable i think the 3 i have in my 29gallon seem to be doing rather well...i actually see them more recently than in the past months.

GO GET SOME!!!!

steve

ps...there are some reddish colored ones out there as well, gotta look around or you could always go with some sally lightfoot crabs...those look even cooler.

[mmille9905]

I agree with Steve, Emeralds should be safe with anything. The Sallys are real cool too. I have one in a different tank. They are a little more agressive than emeralds, nut I have never had any trouble with mine eating anything, and he is a super good cleaner. I would only keep one unless you have a large tank.

Steve, do you have Sallys and emeralds in the same tank, and if so how do they do together. I would like to put some Emeralds in my tank with my sally, but I did not know if they are compatable. Mickey!

[Fishhead Junkie]

i used to have both sallys and emeralds in my tank but the sallys eventually died on me...not sure if the tank was too new and/or maybe they just didnt have enough food. they are really cool looking though, not that a little green crab isnt cool as well.

steve

[Fishguy1]

I love mine the crabs will eat hair, and bubble agle like no other. There also very strong if given alot of rock in the tank and alot of alge to eat.

[Taras1]

I love my emeralds, but they have to have enough to eat. They are omnivores, though they prefer vegetable matter. They are known to be opportunistic and I've heard that they can capture smaller animals, like fishes, snails, etc.; so keep'em well fed.

[carym]

I have had emeralds ever since I setup my tank and they have never bothered anyone, they get along great with each other. They will scavenange dead or decaying items just like any other crab, but that is a good thing.

[Cern]

They seem to grow pretty fast and are very hardy. Mine got into the overflow when it was a baby and was hanging out in the pipe 3/4 of the way down to the sump. It seems hit or miss for algae "control" and even as something to look at in the tank. I hardly ever see mine maybe once a month if im super lucky. They are impossibly cute for a crab when they are babies.

[krsult]

Well my emerald just took out my Arrow Crab. My arrow crab was hanging out minding his own business when I went to take my nap. When I woke up there was my emerald crab and hermits eating the Arrow crab. I belive they played judge, jury and exicutioner of the Arrow crab. As the arrow had eatin one of my snails and two of my hermits earlier. Revenge was served bitter sweet like.

[Fishhead Junkie]

lol...that sucks. i would never expect an emerald crab to be that mean...mine always retreat away when confronted..they might extend their claws outward to create some space between the enemy and itself but never ever have they "gone off the reservation" on the other tankmates. now my coral banded shrimp is another story...that sucker has balls....he has been around a long long time and if my clown decides to go after him..he stands his ground, sticks out those claws and goes to work...he'll grab the fish sometimes if they bother him..i am pretty sure he is the one that actually killed my arrow crab..had to be him. i am gonna have to get that coral banded shrimp on video and post it...he's the man!!!

[swansondan]

Not to be there bearer of bad news...but I disagree with all the lovers of emerald crabs.....I had 3 of them in my 90 gallon tank, everything was fine for awhile, but then they started munching on corals....especially my xenia...they destroyed my colony....they all went back to the lfs except one that was exceptionally big....he went in my refuigm...most people do say they are safe....just giving you the heads up...that they were not safe in my tank...

Dan

[Taras1]

Emeralds and Sally-Lightfoot's are opportunistic feeders. If it's there they'll eat it. A FEW in a well balanced tank with plenty of detrius and algae will keep them satisfied, otherwise, they can eat almost anything that they can get their little claws on.

[IceMan]

i had one o my emerald crabs boxing with my bi-color blennie, literaly back handed him three times when th blennie got too close, wish i'd gotten vid.

[eldalote2]

i just got 2 emeralds and they have some little "bugs" crawling all over them. Parasite or nothing to worry about? I dont want to add them to my tank only to find out that the little bugs are going to take over everything.

[IceMan]

Originally Posted by eldalote2

i just got 2 emeralds and they have some little "bugs" crawling all over them. Parasite or nothing to worry about? I dont want to add them to my tank only to find out that the little bugs are going to take over everything.

got macro picture? likely copepods. if so your fine.

[IceMan]

keep him quareteened till you can identify

[eldalote2]

nope, not pods. and a pic wont help they are too small

[NATIVEVAMAN]

A friend once told me about how all his hermits had ganged up on his clam and killed it.I dont think was anywhere near the truth.Almost all crabs are oportunistic feeders.If they find something dead they eat it.Even our friendly herbavors will cash in on a free dead fish.In a fight between a sally lightfoot and an emerald crab.......my money is on the sally.I think the emerald just found some free dinner and took advantage.