Wandering crabs: Are your invertebrates ever a problem for your corals or aquascape?

[Peace River]

Wandering crabs: Are your invertebrates ever a problem for your corals or aquascape?

Whether it is an urchin decorating or crabs knocking over aquascaping and dislodging corals, it is not uncommon for invertebrates to create a problem in your tank. In other cases, invertebrates can damage corals or macroalgae directly. Although it can be amusing to watch invertebrates go exploring in our tanks, it can also be problematic and create headaches. Please tell us about your experience and share any tips you have about wandering crabs and other invertebrates. Are your invertebrates ever a problem for your corals or aquascape?

Pro Tip: Rockwork and your corals can be dislodged by a wandering invertebrate which can result in minor annoyances or in major problems. It is helpful to plan in advance and make sure everything is secure if you are going to add large invertebrates to your reef. Also, observe your tank for signs of rogue or opportunistic invertebrates that need the opportunity to be successful elsewhere!

Photo by @Suncrest Reef


This QOTD is sponsored by: www.tidalgardens.com

“The goal of Tidal Gardens is to offer the highest quality corals to those seeking a piece of that world without destroying it. We hope to instill a deep appreciation for the natural reefs and help develop a self sustaining hobby that no longer requires the collection of fish and corals.”

 

[Dburr1014]

I have 1 large hermit that was always crawling over everything and killing some large snails. (I have empty shells for him)
I sumped him with extra shells.

 

[SnazzyUrchin792]

My emerald crab ticks off my palys by walking through them and he also eats the red sea lettuce I’m trying to grow

 

[Ron Reefman]

Mostly it's been urchins that have been an issue. Picking up coral frags and carrying them around or knocking them over.

I now have a small rock boring urchin and in the last year it has not been an issue at all. In fact, I intend to get another one this week when I go snorkeling in the Florida Keys.

 

[StatelineReefer]

I have a red mithrax that hides in my liverock, we continuously fight over the hole in my rock meant for a torch... I'll put the torch in the hole, super glue it... he'll break off the super glue and push the frag plug out again.

 

[ronnie]

I had one crab that kept bulldozing the frags off the rack or flipping any I put on the sand. He’s not allowed to come out and play anymore. I also have 3 Mexican turbo snails that can be annoying if they push over any small rocks or frags. But nothing crazy like the crab.

 

[Reefer Matt]

I had two large coral banded shrimp a couple years ago, each in a separate tank. One ate zoas, and one (most likely) ate fish. They both found new homes (I explained the situation to new owner). I actually witnessed the one eating the zoas.

The other one I witnessed snapping at fish, but never saw it capture them. I lost three smaller fish in a month until I realized the shrimp could be the cause. The losses stopped after it was removed.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Urchins will pick up small pieces of anything and crabs love to push over small rocks or frags. Urchins will get between rocks and roll them also. I love them anyway.

 

[JoJosReef]

My porcelains have never been problems. Same with the Randall's pistol shrimp. Emeralds, sexy shrimp, cleaner shrimp and a Saron shrimp have at times been problematic. Decorator crab was a nightmare. Pitho and pom pom crabs have never been problems either.

 

[MoMoTheMonster]

I have a turbo snail and some large astrea snails that knock things over occasionally.

But for the most part everyone is on their best behavior

 

[shakacuz]

all of my crabs in some way move my loose rockwork around altering my scape. i moved all my crabs except for three (electric blue, scarlet red, and halloween hermit's) to the sump. i'm looking to increase my snail CUC amount, but the hermits did so well with keeping rock clean. my snails do well with not moving rock around.

 

[miso]

My wife picked out what was probably the biggest Mexican turbo at our LFS had and the mans a bulldozer other than the hermits "cleaning" the zoas everything is fine once the glue stuck

 

[Propane]

My cleaner shrimp is always trampling over corals when I feed the tank and my snails keep pushing my platygyra all over the place. I had to put a small piece of rock down so they couldn’t keep pushing it into my clove polyps.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have one blue hermit and a few carribean blue leg and several snails and none cause issue

 

[Azael]

Sometimes my urchin and hermits are moving rocks and corals that are not glued.

 

[Wasabiroot]

My blue legged hermits are generally problem free. But, they will start picking at anything dying. So, while they don't seem to attack healthy flesh, it does make it harder to resuscitate anything that needs TLC like a stung coral that receded. Any crab is opportunistic. They are simply programmed to go after whatever is easiest. Eventually that happens to be coral. I generally don't trust crabs. I think of them as lawful neutral or chaotic neutral, lol

 

[AVVITT]

I have some big ol' hermits and they can be very cumbersome but I stick my corals down with decent reef putty so nothing gets detached and they don't really harm anything.

 

[Mr Fishface]

In the past I've had issues for sure. My current tank I have had 0 issues but that's on purpose. I haven't bought any hermit crabs - only one I have came in on live rock and it's stayed pretty tiny so far. Otherwise I have a cleaner shrimp which doesn't bother anything. This time around I also glue  ALL of my corals down when I place them. I would love an urchin so I am planning ahead to help reduce issues when I do get one.

 

[sadrobotz]

i cannot stand my turbo snails lol, they are being evicted ASAP, i did not realize how "bulldozer-y" they can be. so many dislodged frags and ticked off candy cane corals. i say no more turbo!

 

[sfin52]

Mostly it's been urchins that have been an issue. Picking up coral frags and carrying them around or knocking them over.

I now have a small rock boring urchin and in the last year it has not been an issue at all. In fact, I intend to get another one this week when I go snorkeling in the Florida Keys.

I've had mine over 2 yrs and never once has it picked up a coral. Knocked a couple over on frag racks but that's it.