Invert Spotlight: Strawberry Crab

[Hardmasterflex]

I have some experience. Mine has yet to mess with any of my corals, including everything from polyp to hard corals. But if you don't supply them with more than enough food, forget about having snails. They will destroy your snail population with such a high appetite. But they stay nice and happy if you supplement their feeding with a piece of shrimp or seaweed. They will grab it right out of your hand and go to town on the piece of food. About them being reef safe or not, well mine is still small, so that could be the reason for no major problem yet.

 

[Hardmasterflex]

I know this was years ago since this thread was active but I just bought a strawberry crab from petco. They said it was a red emerald crab for $7.99 but would take 50% off since it was missing a claw. I said what the heck a $30 crab for only $4. Any thoughts or advice would be great. I know there are some skeptical people out there that say they eat fish but with one claw I'm not to worried about that aspect at the moment. If he can snatch a fish up with one claw, he must be a jedi crab haha!

He may only have one claw for now, but give it a few months and he will be back to having his claw back. But he seems relatively really small, so you really shouldn't have much complaining to do about him.

 

[Tautog]

I am reading that these are reef safe and they are not reef safe! Anyone with with experience?

Reef safe, I got one with my LR, but have only seen it twice in 2 years. They really live in the rock

 

[HermitCrabLeota]

I thought I'd cast my vote for reef safe, the crab has been in my tank for about 8 months and stays aloof for the most part. I have noticed he is fairly sedentary and doesn't do much roaming away from his little hole which luckily is always in view!

 

[Makers Marc]

Strawberry crabs get pretty large...mine is about 1-1 1/2 body width, no problems at all bothering fish, however he does break off chunks of SPS....both Montipora and Acropora, and for that reason I am trying to catch him to banish to the refugium

I know this was last year, but did you ever end up catching it?

When you said "chunks of sps" did you mean it used its tiny claws to break branches off an Acro to eat?

 

[Clenke]

I Bought one four months ago and never saw it again..until today! For the time that I thought it was ancient history, nothing including my across or Monti' ,have been touched, will have to keep an eye on it. 20ghigh, w/ 2 emeralds as well

 

[Friday24]

I know this was last year, but did you ever end up catching it?

When you said "chunks of sps" did you mean it used its tiny claws to break branches off an Acro to eat?

No never caught him...I’d have to destroy my rock to get him. He doesn’t eat the coral he just drags it to his den to build with I guess. Most recently he dragged a Blasto merletti colony that’s almost golfball size to his “home” and had it wedged in the rocks...I was able to get it out though. He’s really not terrible, like going on coral destroying rampages, I just have to keep an eye on the entrance to his hole and make sure he hasn’t taken anything I need to get back...lol.

 

[UmeKikui]

I know this was years ago since this thread was active but I just bought a strawberry crab from petco. They said it was a red emerald crab for $7.99 but would take 50% off since it was missing a claw. I said what the heck a $30 crab for only $4. Any thoughts or advice would be great. I know there are some skeptical people out there that say they eat fish but with one claw I'm not to worried about that aspect at the moment. If he can snatch a fish up with one claw, he must be a jedi crab haha!

I never raised crab houses. Tell me, will he live with the Ribs?