Banggai & Crustaceans

[CloudReefer]

Hi all, I have a big banggai cardinal and noticed this morning that one of my smaller white porcelain crabs is missing a claw arm and a filter arm, both on the same side. I don't know if the crab shed the arms as a defensive mechanism (read they will do this) or if they were ripped off. Either way I suspect it was the cardinal.

Has anyone ever noticed banggai cardinals going after crabs or other crustaceans?

I have a firefish, 4" yellow wrasse, lawnmower blenny and two (one is small) banggai cardinals. I don't think the wrasse did it as it's never gone after even smaller ornamental shrimp. The cardinal is just now getting to full size and is starting to pick on the smaller cardinal (thought I had a mated pair but clearly I do not), so perhaps it's getting more aggressive generally?

Also I'm happy to re-home at least one of the cardinals (PM if interested). I don't want to see the small one bullied to death and my extra tank is currently being used for quarantine so I have nowhere to put the poor guy.

Thanks :)

 

[krollins]

I would still put my money on the wrasse but it is possible that you got an aggressive cardinal.

 

[DaJMasta]

My banggais have never gone after crabs or shrimp - they are usually looking towards the water column for their food, so I don't think they pay close attention to the rocks for hunting.

Do you have another crab or shrimp? They can be a bit ornery/territorial if there's more than one.

 

[CloudReefer]

My banggais have never gone after crabs or shrimp - they are usually looking towards the water column for their food, so I don't think they pay close attention to the rocks for hunting.

Do you have another crab or shrimp? They can be a bit ornery/territorial if there's more than one.

I have 4 porcelains in 75g, 2 blues and 2 spotted white ones.

 

[krollins]

I have 4 porcelains in 75g, 2 blues and 2 spotted white ones.

although they don't need anemone, I wouldn't put that many without an anemone because of possible fighting.

 

[DaJMasta]

They will definitely fight with each other, not necessarily to the death, but certainly to establish territory. My guess is that's your culprit.

 

[CloudReefer]

They will definitely fight with each other, not necessarily to the death, but certainly to establish territory. My guess is that's your culprit.

The blue ones have been in the tank a year and never messed with anything, nor each other. The white ones have been in for maybe 6 months and have also been chill with each other, though I don't discount that they could have had a spat while I was at work, and I've read they'll drop limbs defensively so perhaps this is the correct answer.

 

[DaJMasta]

I've had a bunch of blue/green/red porcelains in my main tank and they've at least mostly got along (several alive in the long term and the little ones still survive with one really big one), but I've had the anemone porcelain crabs live somewhat less amicably in close quarters - perhaps because they really do want to host in something and seem to have their own preferences.

I think the regular porcelain crabs get along more or less like emeralds - some arm waving but pretty chill, but the anemone porcelain crabs are less tolerant of each other.

 

[CloudReefer]

I've had a bunch of blue/green/red porcelains in my main tank and they've at least mostly got along (several alive in the long term and the little ones still survive with one really big one), but I've had the anemone porcelain crabs live somewhat less amicably in close quarters - perhaps because they really do want to host in something and seem to have their own preferences.

I think the regular porcelain crabs get along more or less like emeralds - some arm waving but pretty chill, but the anemone porcelain crabs are less tolerant of each other.

Thought about putting a nem of some kind in but have had bad experiences with them deciding to move around.

Hoping the little guys try my frogspawn or something