Mark Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 Well put it this way my live rock has crabs. Question is do i need them or not? This rock has not been added to my tank as yet so do i try to remove as many of the little blighters or not. Tks Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 I have crabs and don't find them a problem, but in most books it recommends against them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted October 28, 2005 Report Share Posted October 28, 2005 If you have soft corals you should be fine. Some of the rock crabs will eat the tips of SPS corals if there is not enough food, i.e: Algae and detritus in the sand etc. Most will be ok though. I am currently trying to remove one white crab that is nibbling my Acropora. I have currently chopped off one pincer with a knife.....but apparently he will grow it back....I just cant get the little #$@%!! :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted October 29, 2005 Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 If it's brown and / or hairy, remove it. If it's pale creamy colour with a straight black line going from one eye to the other, keep it. If it's pretty red and or blue colours, could be safe, or could be a coral mucher, safe option remove it. Crabs have to eat something, and only a small number of them are reef "safe". General rule of thumb, if in doubt, remove. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skuzza Posted October 29, 2005 Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 Fire up the pan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 The crabs are very much like the ones you find when you lift rocks at the rock pools. All are quite small and a pale brown colour. Lots of baby ones so no chance of removing all. Will just try to remove as many as possible. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie extreme Posted October 29, 2005 Report Share Posted October 29, 2005 If you have soft corals you should be fine. disagree, had some of my leathers (mainly smaller cuttings eaten or partly eaten a while ago. removed a large black crab and it stoped. so i put it down to the crab. could be wrong of course but it seemed the obvious thing. and yes i had acro tips shaved as well, assuming by the same crab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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