Should I add crabs to CUC and if so, which variety?

[Patrick Cox]

I have a 100G mostly SPS reef with a large clam and a BTA for my clownfish. As usual, I am battling different types of algae and need to beef up my CUC. I have always just kept snails but I am thinking about adding crabs. A few reasons are...

1. Crabs may clean up different debris than the snails.
2. My hawkfish keeps killing off snails so since I already have a snail predator, what's another gonna hurt?
3. Thinking they might be interesting to watch.

So, other than killing snails, any reason not to add some small hermit crabs? And then which variety would you add? I am assuming either blue or red leg hermits. Just not sure if there is a difference or something else I should consider in my situation.

Thanks.

 

[Dreminon]

following along

 

[Slocke]

Both of those hermits are quite harmless except to snails. Getting some empty shells should help with that. All the small species are good. The big species are nightmares. Emerald crabs are also worth considering.

Don't get this monster:

 

[Mike konesky]

Red and blue legs can both be trouble makers. Only hermits I'll add to a system are scarlets. They seem to stay in the same shells for years, and leave snails alone. The one issue I've had with them is occasionally one will decide his spot is at the top of colonies. They are more expensive but well worth it.

 

[Patrick Cox]

Red and blue legs can both be trouble makers. Only hermits I'll add to a system are scarlets. They seem to stay in the same shells for years, and leave snails alone. The one issue I've had with them is occasionally one will decide his spot is at the top of colonies. They are more expensive but well worth it.

Thanks. I'll give those a try.

 

[Uncle99]

I don’t do crabs….ever. Removed every one 6 years ago now.
Way, way happier and it’s clear to me they would taste things late at night.
They don’t clean up nothing, once they find out that food falls from the sky.
They limit what I can put in my tank and will, many at some point, eat, anything they can catch including tasting fluffy LPS corals.
You can limit algae simply with strong stable water chemistry.