Replacement for Emerald Crab?

[JNalley]

So, I added an emerald crab as part of my CUC early on, he's been a voracious eater and has gone through all of the algae in the tank. Now that there's nothing left for him to eat, I've been supplementing him with thawed never cooked pieces of shrimp. Tonight I caught him trying to eat my Firework clove polyps, so either I'm not feeding him enough, or he's just doing what crabs do and trying to diversify his diet. Nothing wrong with that, but I can't have him eating corals, that's just not in the cards for me. So, I intend to take him to the LFS and turn him in. My question is, because I like crabs and think they're cool, are there any other suitable replacements? Maybe ones that don't hide as often? My only requirement is that they not eat my corals or my fish, I don't mind if I have to target feed it.

 

[blaxsun]

Are you sure he was eating them and not just going through them looking for snacks? All crabs will hide if given a choice (and be more active at night). Hawaiian strawberry crab is a nice addition to the tank.

 

[JNalley]

Are you sure he was eating them and not just going through them looking for snacks? All crabs will hide if given a choice (and be more active at night). Hawaiian strawberry crab is a nice addition to the tank.

Fairly positive, one of the Polyps on the frag was missing this morning (It's a new edition to the tank as of 3 days ago) and I suspected the Emerald (as there are several other threads talking about them eating clove polyps when they've ran out of food), so I went in there tonight and sure enough he had his pinchers around one of the stalks pulling at it... Even if he was just cleaning and accidentally pulled it off, 2 nights in a row? and there's no discernable detritus/algae/etc on the plug. I will check out the Hawaiian Strawberry crab, thanks for the suggestion!

 

[blaxsun]

I have a monster emerald crab in my tank (2.5" at least) and he's always been great with my corals, so either he has plenty to eat or I lucked out with this one.

The strawberry I have is a brilliant red and probably the most docile invert in the tank. He does do some rearranging in the tank every time he molts, though.

 

[JNalley]

I have a monster emerald crab in my tank (2.5" at least) and he's always been great with my corals, so either he has plenty to eat or I lucked out with this one.

The strawberry I have is a brilliant red and probably the most docile invert in the tank. He does do some rearranging in the tank every time he molts, though.

Yeah, I love crabs, I even like this Emerald, but I have no place to put him and if it's between a $12 crab I rarely see and a $30 coral that my 2-year-old daughter loves, I gotta go with the coral.

Edit: I meant to also say that Emerald crabs are luck of the draw sort of like certain "reef safe with caution" fish. At least that's the consensus from pouring through the forums.