[Mikeman]

Who has them? Are they reef safe? Do they eat snails, corals, small hermits ext...? Thanks

[Iron Crab]

I had two that didn't bother any of the livestock but seemed to eat nothing but coralline algae. I didn't like the bare spots on the rock so I got rid of them.

[scout]

I've had emeralds off and on for 2 years. I've never noticed them eating coraline. I did have a bubble algae problem, now I don't! I did have one last year (VERY LARGE) that attacked and ate all the stalks of one of my colts. The colt recovered, he didn't.

HTH
Mike

[Venaman]

i just bought one in hopes it will eat my bubble algae . .and hopefully no corals. .
i have heard reports on it eating polyps but not with everyone

[bongobrian]

I've always had them and never had a problem. They've actually become one of my favorite inverts to have in my reef tank. They're very active and efficient at removing microalgea. I've never seen them pick at coraline. They will eat dead snails, but I don't think they will attack them intentionally. Sally lightfoots are also very good scavengers.

[Iron Crab]

Gee whiz,
You guys are making me feel like I got ripped off here or the two stupid ones. I really liked them but they would scrape the rock down to bare rock where ever they were. I have watched them do it. They were listed as green emerald crabs when I bought them and when I took them to another LFS to trade them in that's what they said they were. Maybe later I'll give 'em another go.

[bongobrian]

Iron- hey man you saw what you saw... if I was in your shoes I probably would have done the same thing! maybe your tank just rocks so much that you don't even have enough microalgea for the emeralds to eat, so they were forced to chomp on some coraline... who knows. Everyone has different experiences with certain kinds of livestock... find what works for you. If something isn't working out, you change it.

[WannaBeAReefer]

I got 3 Emeralds for bubble algae... had a little patch that never really grew... but the little buggers have been very, very busy scraping my LR down to nothing. I have managed to catch one of them (he is now in the Q tank munching Nori every once in a while). They are incredibly "smart."

I would not put them in -- they have completely stripped all my LR -- and I could have lived with a little bubble algae.

[Mikeman]

personally I don't care what my rock looks like, it can be purple, brown, or blue for all i care, I really just care about the corals

[BlueWater]

I had one in my 10 gallon long and it rocked. Unfortunately it died because I put in too much alkalinity booster. (no one told me to stop putting it in so it exceeded 8.2 within a few days) The crab slept at the underneath my BTA. Used it as shelter.

[Poseidon]

I had 3 Em Crabs 2 weeks ago pulled one out dead haven't seen the others in days... While I could see them they mostly munched on the calurpa in my tank... Never touched the valonia for some reason? who knows? Anyway I like the little buggers I just wish I knew why they keep dying off on me...?

[wperrette]

I had 4 in my 150, 3 have died over the last 6 months. They all ate coralline none stop, didn’t touch the hair algae.

Just my experience.