Bryopsis eating Emerald Crab?

[mikemathis555]

Anyone experience an Emerald Crab with an affinity for Bryopsis springs?

I added an Emerald Crab to my DT yesterday to see if he could assist with some of my ‘uglies’ algae problems - including Bryopsis and GHA. While drip acclimating the crab (whom I’ve named ‘Tom’) I plucked off a few sprigs of Bryopsis and put in the container…to my surprise he slurped them up right away. Now he’s in the tank, he seems to be eating the small sprigs on my live rock.

Anyone with experience here? Is the new guy just that hungry he’s eating anything, or do we think some EC’s actually eat Bryopsis as part of their diet?

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I had/ have an emerald crab who I witnessed eating aiptasia as well. But then a while later I also saw him eating zoas and chalices. So now he's in isolation. Watch carefully. Mine turned out to be a bad boy. So trying to decide what to do with the lil bugger.

 

[mikemathis555]

I had/ have an emerald crab who I witnessed eating aiptasia as well. But then a while later I also saw him eating zoas and chalices. So now he's in isolation. Watch carefully. Mine turned out to be a bad boy. So trying to decide what to do with the lil bugger.

yes, I have read the posts about them, and I have my eye on him. I wanted to see if I can control some of my algae with different CUC members first before getting more aggressive and pumping supplements into the water. Tom is on a short lease per se.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

The Males are problematic, Females aren’t nearly as bad. My male is now isolated in my overflow, he’s doing an excellent job eating the algae, and has no problem climbing up the pipes.