Emerald crab questions

[cschutt05]

So, what is the norm with emerald crabs? Are they reef safe, or no? I’ve read that they are, so I picked one up the other day to help with algae. Within minutes he was out on a rock grazing and when I went to bed that night it has already cleaned an area of rock about 9 times the size of it. But since that night it has eaten a torch after ungluing the frag from the rock. I still have some Zoas in there that haven’t been touched. Should I trust the crab or get rid it?

 

[Kmsutows]

I was hesitant too so only got small females. I feel like the large males do the damage. So far so good

 

[Bouncingsoul39]

I always buy the smallest ones possible, like nickel size, and never had problems with them. When they get big, I donate them to the lfs and get new small ones.

 

[ThunderGoose]

My experience is also that the small ones are reef safe but the big ones will go after corals. Then they go to the sump/ refugium.

 

[keddre]

Shot in the dark. If you saw it eating a coral, then I say get rid of it