Emerald Crab

[North Bay 101]

Greetings,
I am having an outbreak of Valonia - Green Bubble Algae. I thought about putting in an emerald crab but I also have caulerpa in the tank. Will the crab go after the caulerpa first instead of the GBA?

 

[howie099]

Hard to say each animal eats what they want to eat. Add one and watch him.

 

[wildbill]

I'd add a few and deal with the bubble, unfortunatly you'll probable never quite get rid of the bubble algae.

Bill

 

[Goldmoon]

I have two emerald crabs in my 20g tank. They never really touched the grape caulerpa I have in there. But they got rid of ALMOST all the buble algae. All I see left is one about the size of a small pea. All the rest I had is gone.

 

[esmithiii]

I had a couple of emerald crabs in my 55g and they cleared all the valonia very quickly. They then munched on all the macro algaes in the tank.


E

 

[2poor2reef]

In my systems they eat both valonia and grape caulerpa. But that's probably my fault. When not employed eradicating valonia I keep my crab in the sump and feed it primarily grape caulerpa. That way it associates all little green round things with food.

 

[North Bay 101]

Thanks for al the replies. I guess there will be a new addition to the tank soon.

 

[Mouse]

Personally i hate the little Bas*ar*s. I bought one and within seconds he bit a huge chunk out of my fast growing, expanded as you like, never seen one doing so well goinopora. And he was a proper emerald, with the little red bits on the inside of his arms. Infact all crabs suck, hermets, emeralds. Sally light foots are ok but thats it IMO.

 

[2poor2reef]

That's why mine lives in the sump unless I see valonia in my tank. IME they are not reef safe and I've kept them for about four years since they first became commonly available. But it's the only invert that eats valonia that I have found and that makes them valuable to me.