Clean up crew capability help

[Pudgeshambley]

I currently have 2 clownfish, yellow watchman goby, tailspot blenny, 3 scarlet legged hermit crabs, 5 trochus snails, 8 Nerite snail, 5 bumblebee snails, 3 nassarius snails and a fighting conch. Oh, and a ton of collonista snails that are breeding like crazy.

I would like to add 3 peppermint shrimp, a pom pom crab, and an emarald crab. Possibly a money crowie or two.

Tank is a 40 gallon AIO about a year and a half old. Mixed reef. My question is can these be added safely without any one eating each other? My hermits have always been model citizens.

 

[blaxsun]

Sure, but I'd try one shrimp first. All the others are fine.

 

[Pudgeshambley]

Sure, but I'd try one shrimp first. All the others are fine.

Thank you.

 

[blaxsun]

Thank you.

NP. Note that emerald crabs are "tank snobs", in that they'll move on from algae to whatever tastier food source their is.

 

[Pudgeshambley]

NP. Note that emerald crabs are "tank snobs", in that they'll move on from algae to whatever tastier food source their is.

Have you ever had problems with them eating corals? I have read differing opinions on them.

 

[blaxsun]

Have you ever had problems with them eating corals? I have read differing opinions on them.

Never, and I've had a dozen of them over the last few years. What people often observe as "eating corals" is in fact the crab cleaning off algae, tiny morals of food or dead parts of the coral.

The last emerald crab I had was almost 3" in diameter and a pussycat.

 

[Pudgeshambley]

Never, and I've had a dozen of them over the last few years. What people often observe as "eating corals" is in fact the crab cleaning off algae, tiny morals of food or dead parts of the coral.

The last emerald crab I had was almost 3" in diameter and a pussycat.

I also read they suggest more than one shrimp when attacking aiptasia but you suggested starting with one. Just wondering why? And of course I didn't mention aiptasia originally so my apologies for that.

 

[Pudgeshambley]

Never, and I've had a dozen of them over the last few years. What people often observe as "eating corals" is in fact the crab cleaning off algae, tiny morals of food or dead parts of the coral.

The last emerald crab I had was almost 3" in diameter and a pussycat.

Is one emerald crab enough?

 

[blaxsun]

I also read they suggest more than one shrimp when attacking aiptasia but you suggested starting with one. Just wondering why? And of course I didn't mention aiptasia originally so my apologies for that.

If you're getting them for pest control I might be inclines to get the shrimp first and the other stuff later.

 

[blaxsun]

Is one emerald crab enough?

Plenty. Try to get a female.

 

[Pudgeshambley]

If you're getting them for pest control I might be inclines to get the shrimp first and the other stuff later.

They won't even ship unless it's over 50. Took me forever to find hermit crab shells because no one would just ship them but that's a whole nother story.

 

[Pudgeshambley]

Plenty. Try to get a female.

Thanks again for all your help