[cofstl411]

I got an arrow crab because I thought they would just eat stuff that fell to the bottom of the tank. I also have or should say "had" 10 blue leg hermit crabs and one scarlet hermit crab. I just saw my arrow crab chowing down on a blue leg crab. I only have two green chromis and a clown fish in my 125 gallon tank. I feed twice a day. Will he stop if I feed more? I am afraid that I will get too much food in the tank and have algae problems. I have 4 turbo snails, 12 Astraea Snails and a camel shrimp as well.

[Reefland]

Arrow Crabs (Stenorhynchus seticornis) are not a reef safe invertebrate. These crabs are known bristleworm "killers" and will quickly wipe out a population; bristleworms being a desired Polychaete in deep sand beds and reef tanks in general. The Arrow crabs are carnivores, they'll eat shrimp, oher crabs, small fish and all of the microfauna desired in a live sand bed.

[cofstl411]

"It is a hardy, long-lived invertebrate, that can be housed in the reef aquarium. Large specimens may attack small slow moving fish."

That is what I read from the doctor foster's website. I did not plan on getting any small slow moving fish so I thought I was ok. I will try to return the crab because he is becoming a pain. I thought reef safe meant that it would not eat other reef inhabitants.

[Reefland]

You have to be careful of descriptions offered by online and offline stores. Some people (stores) consider anything that won't eat corals reef safe. Arrow Crabs will not eat on corals but the other invertebrates and microfauna mentioned is free game for them.

[Poseidon]

"It is a hardy, long-lived invertebrate, that can be housed in the reef aquarium. Large specimens may attack small slow moving fish."

Ya I read that too!!! I also have a bridge for sale.... Dirty rotten salesman!!!

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by cofstl411

I got an arrow crab because I thought they would just eat stuff that fell to the bottom of the tank. I also have or should say "had" 10 blue leg hermit crabs and one scarlet hermit crab. I just saw my arrow crab chowing down on a blue leg crab.

Arrow crabs are predatory carnivores. People keep buying them because they believe what they read on the various online vendors' websites. That's a big mistake. Virtually all of those websites either stretch the truth or they don't tell the whole truth. And those are the better ones. There is one particular website that I know of that calls everything reef-safe.

You can find additional details about arrow crabs in these two threads:

Arrow Crabs- good or bad?

OH MY Heavens...

I only have two green chromis and a clown fish in my 125 gallon tank. I feed twice a day. Will he stop if I feed more?

No, he's just doing what he does for a living.

I have 4 turbo snails, 12 Astraea Snails and a camel shrimp as well.

I see that you have posted this thread in the fish-only forum but just in case you decide to start adding corals to your tank, remove the camel shrimp first, it's a corallivore.

[cofstl411]

Originally Posted by Ninong

I see that you have posted this thread in the fish-only forum but just in case you decide to start adding corals to your tank, remove the camel shrimp first, it's a corallivore.

I plan on adding corals later but that may be much later because I want to be sure that I get the fish done right first. I already have 3 metal halides and two 6 foot actinic bulbs but I only turn the actinics on.

I guess I am going to be getting rid of the arrow crab pretty soon because my fish don't seem to be spending as much time in the rock work. They spend most of their time near the top of the tank and it may be because they are being cautious with the arrow crab.

[patandreba]

I have an Arrow crab, and he really doesn't pose much of a threat to anything right now, I just accepted him for what he is, and fees him like I do my snowflake eel. I took a rigid lift tube, split the end like a fork, and put a rosie or guppy on the end, with their tail wedged between the prongs, and lower it in front of him. This way nothing gets away from me and dies under a rock somewhere and rots.