Will an emarald crab kill/eat smaller fish?

[tankedmach]

I have two emerald crabs that i believe have killed two of my peppermint shrimp and one cleaner shrimp
I wanted to get a Neon goby or a watchman but I am afraid the crabs will get them
can some one please help me!
Oh it is also a 55 gallon tank i have 5 big pieces of lr

 

[al&burke]

I have three emerald crabs in my 65 - one of them likes to hang out under an acro I have, in the acro is a very small clown gobie - I never see the crab trying to go after it.

 

[bang guy]

I'm not seeing the threat to a healthy fish. Perhaps they would attack a dead fish.

 

[mikeo5422]

They would have a very difficult time catching a healthy fish with their pinchers, as they are not designed to tear meat but pick macro algae and what not.

 

[novahobbies]

It's a crab, mate. No matter how "safe" they are as a species, you have to bear in mind that (1) almost ALL crabs are opportunistic omnivores in some fashion, and (2) crabs have a mind of their own, and an individual member of a so-called algae eating species can and will go on a carnivorous rampage if the mood strikes.
Ever been pinched by one of those algae-harvesting claws? They still pack a little punch in their pinch.
Its been my experience that the smaller emerald crabs are generally harmless, but once they get big - and especially if there isn't a lot of algae to scavenge - they will start hunting down whatever they can get. Larger fish are off the menu (unless dead I suppose), but I have seen them threaten smaller fish before. I'd suggest that you make sure you're choosing a larger watchman goby, and best be sure that it is a very healthy specimen.

 

[mr. limpid]

+ one with bang guy. Also if there isn't enough algae to satisfy them you could all so give them a treat once a week of any type of food you feed your fish with or a piece of a nori sheet of there own.