Bubble Algae - Emerald Crabs - Good or Bad?

[joe-ejs]

Hello, I am starting to get a break out of Bubble Algae in one of my tanks. I am thinking of getting a few Emerald Crabs to help remove them. Are they still considered a good solution for getting rid of the algae? Also, is there a specific kind of emerald crab that I would need to get? there seems to be a common name for them, but I see them in Green and Brown Colors.

Thanks

 

[Sharkbait19]

Common emerald works fine. Ruby or regular do the same thing as far as I know.
They do a number on bubble algae, just be sure to keep it well fed so it doesn’t go after corals.

 

[Enderg60]

colors dont matter, they will help with bubble algae but dont expect them to fully take care of the problem.

 

[Bj’s Reef]

I added them to one of my frag tanks a few weeks ago. So far they have done a good job. They haven’t eliminated it. However they have it under control now.

 

[NotoriousDMC]

I have several in my tank, and I can see them eating it. Still have some, and don’t care. In fact, I like seeing SOME “under control” algae as it provides me another indication that I’m not bottoming out nutrients.

 

[bnord]

in 3 mature tanks, all with (female) Emeralds, the only Valonia I have is on power heads and snail shells, were the crabs can't go.

I have read that the red crabs are deeper water, and more reef denizens, but I dont know this for sure and anecdotally have not lasted as long for me (short months vs years)

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

i cant keep them. they ALWAYS go after my Euphyllia. I suicide them everytime I see them touching my beatuies. One of the few areas I have had success was buying a foxface. They are not a perfect remedy but they have ben the best cure I have found.

 

[Steve2020]

Reef Cleaners recommended Pitho Crabs over Emeralds for my 255g tank and they wiped out my Bubble Algae in a matter of days. Have never bothered any of my corals. Unfortunately they seem to be hard to come by lately. Reef Cleaners has been out of them for awhile now.

 

[djf91]

Reef Cleaners recommended Pitho Crabs over Emeralds for my 255g tank and they wiped out my Bubble Algae in a matter of days. Have never bothered any of my corals. Unfortunately they seem to be hard to come by lately. Reef Cleaners has been out of them for awhile now.

How many pithos did you add to your 255?

 

[twentyleagues]

I second pithos. I added 4 emerald crabs to my 80g cube the only thing I saw them eat were my acans. I added 4 Pithos (against my better judgment I hate crabs) these guy wiped out a very large outbreak of bubble algae in a few weeks. I still have a little where they cant reach. I pull it off the higher areas and put where they can find it. The large female (I think its females of the pithos that get large claws) will take bubble algae right from my hand and she is very gentle.