Question about Purple Reef Lobsters

[GrapevineReefs]

I have several reef tanks and had a purple reef lobster in one of my 125 gallon tanks that lived with a yellow tang, blue tang, a school of yellowtail damsels, blennies inverts like a cleaner shrimp, fire shrimp, CUC members a bunch of coral for over 5 years with no issues. Then a rescape changed him. He killed the lawnmower blenny, six line wrasse, and a few of the damsels along with most of the inverts in a matter of a week before he was evicted. It was a quick savage turn of behavior from a once shy tong fed lobster to an active predator obviously due to the change in scape. It was the same rock just reworked. One of the yellowtail damsels took a chomp straight to the head from the lobster one of those nights that week and survived he is still alive and totally healed now a days but given the wound I was sure he wouldn’t make it.

 

[rmay6850]

Had one some years ago, saw him twice, when he went in the tank and when I tore the tank down three years later... he had doubled in size and had amazing colors.

We named him butter

 

[Joe Tony]

I have several reef tanks and had a purple reef lobster in one of my 125 gallon tanks that lived with a yellow tang, blue tang, a school of yellowtail damsels, blennies inverts like a cleaner shrimp, fire shrimp, CUC members a bunch of coral for over 5 years with no issues. Then a rescape changed him. He killed the lawnmower blenny, six line wrasse, and a few of the damsels along with most of the inverts in a matter of a week before he was evicted. It was a quick savage turn of behavior from a once shy tong fed lobster to an active predator obviously due to the change in scape. It was the same rock just reworked. One of the yellowtail damsels took a chomp straight to the head from the lobster one of those nights that week and survived he is still alive and totally healed now a days but given the wound I was sure he wouldn’t make it.

Wow that's interesting that a change in the rockscape is what made the difference (sorry btw). I'll have to keep that in mind when I upgrade to a 55.

 

[TwentyfiveCents]

When you say 2-3 times, do you mean 2-3 times a week or over the course of the few months you had it?

I'm not trying to interrogate you or anything, and I'm sorry that that happened. I have turbos in my tank too, and other snails and hermit crabs and hitchiker clams, feather dusters, worms, etc. It's only been a few days but so far it hasn't gone after anything, including the really tiny creatures I know it would easily kill and eat now.

I'm just genuinely trying to understand what the deal is with these reef lobsters and how they might be manageable in a reef tank.

No its fine dont worry, I fed it 2-3 times a day ....think of it this way, your putting a scavenger/predator in a small environment and it is constantly looking to eat so eventually it will go after your fish every night while it's foraging for food

 

[Joe Tony]

No its fine dont worry, I fed it 2-3 times a day ....think of it this way, your putting a scavenger/predator in a small environment and it is constantly looking to eat so eventually it will go after your fish every night while it's foraging for food

How would you say a reef lobster compares to an emerald crab in that way?

 

[TwentyfiveCents]

How would you say a reef lobster compares to an emerald crab in that way?

Emerald crab cant kill your fish but would if it could

 

[Joe Tony]

Emerald crab cant kill your fish but would if it could

What about corals? I'm asking because I've kept emerald crabs in the past with zero problems.

 

[jmichaelh7]

I have CUC , 2 blennies, 2 tangs, 1 clown, 2 chromis, 1 sand sifting goby , 4 SPS, 5 LPS, 3 Anemone , 2 zoanthids , 1 emerald crab
and 1 PURPLE REEF LOBSTER who is super shy. He only comes out at night when lights are out. I feed 3x a day heavily with mysis and frozen cubes. Hopefully no issues with him in future or ill turn that rock he hides under and capture him.
Beautiful lobster it’s cool to have a lobster in your tank!

no issues yet.

 

[Joe Tony]

Yeah, I rolled the dice and got a reef lobster about a month ago. I have it with coral frags, shrimp, snails, and other critters, and have since gotten a yellowtail damsel. So far he hasn't picked on anything (except maybe for a few snails and tiny hitchhiker filter feeders). It's just an issue of barely seeing him, but so far so good on my end.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Yeah, I rolled the dice and got a reef lobster about a month ago. I have it with coral frags, shrimp, snails, and other critters, and have since gotten a yellowtail damsel. So far he hasn't picked on anything (except maybe for a few snails and tiny hitchhiker filter feeders). It's just an issue of barely seeing him, but so far so good on my end.

Let’s say someone plans to remove him. Isn’t nearly impossible ??

it has dawned on me my fav blennies sleep under the same rock he does

 

[Joe Tony]

Well that doesn't guarantee the lobster will go after the blenny, though it can be worrying. My lobster hung out near my damsel for a few days and then just moved to a different spot. No damage to the fish whatsoever, though it did flaunt its claws at the damsel which had me worried.

As for removing the lobster, I think your best bet would be to remove all the rock. The lobster would then realize there's no more hiding places and desperately find one. You can then put in a pitcher, or some kind of other shading container, and the lobster might go right in (though you might have to wave your hand a bit to bring the lobster in.

Or you could set up a food trap

 

[vetteguy53081]

Id focus on fish that do not favor the tank bottom but rather mid to upper tank

 

[Joe Tony]

Id focus on fish that do not favor the tank bottom but rather mid to upper tank

Clownfish are good for that, and I think banggai cardinals as well. The one I had was on the bottom in the day time, but at night when the lobster would be active, it was on the top

But I'm far from an expert on saltwater fish. I'd differ to some of the others on this forum for suggestions.

 

[Daddy-o]

Our lobster molted again. We saw the molt and it was perfect and had drifted into a position that it looked just like the lobster... but dead. I had to do a double take to make sure.

 

[jmichaelh7]

I have 30lb or rock not an option .

 

[Joe Tony]

I have 30lb or rock not an option .

I guess you could figure out a trap then, unless your fish/cleanup crew will get to it first

 

[jmichaelh7]

Yeah have you guys ever had a trap that worked ? Where did you get it

 

[MohrReefs]

Could probably 3d print a small lobster cage and put some bait inside , he goes in but can't back out.

 

[Joshua Kerstetter]

I have one.. at least I still hope so. Was touring a LFS many months back, pre covid times, and saw one, he was about 3 inches, and was 25 .. or 28 bucks.. how could I NOT get him.. so he came home, into the tank he went, never saw him again, no evidence, nothing, looked at night with a red light, looked underneath the stand from below, nothing. But about 2 months ago.. I saw him.. well what I though was him.. dead. but IT WASN'T! It was just a molt, so for at least 6 months, he was happy doing his thing, completely unseen and left me a little evidence of his world. I hope he's happy, wherever he is in the tank, has a nice home, with nice things, wish he would come out and say Hi at least.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Yeah I would say not worth the $45 at my LFS but he’s there under the rock