Crab in Acropora

[costa13]

I just purchased a piece of acropora from my LFS. There is a crab living in it and my LFS said to leave it. They said it will eat the waste my Acropora gives off. Is this true. Should I keep?
Thanks.

 

[ryanhayes9]

yeah i belive its a acro crab

 

[cannonman]

Same thing happened to me when I bought my first acro- found several crabs and found mnay species that looked so similar I couldn't tell them apart so out they went, rather safe than sorry but there is a really good chance I threw out beneficial crabs... I can tell you that acros don't "need" these critters, my tank is crab free and the acros are fine-

 

[l.i. geo]

Leave The Crabs In, They Protect The Acro, And Your Right It Is Beneficial For The Coral

 

[switches]

Leave the crab in the acro. Its like having a anenome and a clown ,they need eachother

 

[maxalmon]

I have several of them in my acros, all the corals have great polyp extension and the crabs never seem to move around.

 

[costa13]

Thanks for all the help. I think I am just going to leave in the acro after hearing all of you responses.