Emerald Crabs

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pirate_bob

Guest
Emerald crabs are said to be very peaceful. Mine on the other hand eats EVERYTHING! I'm hopeing to be able to borrow a camera to post a pick later tonight. But the crab came from SWF so I know they wouldn't send something else. So are they really peaceful?
His victims--
2 green chromis
5 hermits ( red legged ones )
8 snails
I'd give him an 2" wide. Hopefully will post pic tonight.
 
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pirate_bob

Guest
No, my LR right now is from the philipines. But I have caught the guy in action and its the one that came in the bag from Swf. They sent me two really small ones which i actually believe he has eatin and him. I will try to get a picture tonight.. He rarely comes out when its light out.
 
thakr21

thakr21

Member
I have 3 from SWF. They sent me one rather large one as well. But they are all as peaceful as can be. I've seen some of my blue legs walk right up to them as to say hello then walk away.
 
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pirate_bob

Guest
I'm not sure on mine... I mean one day I didn't realize it but my chromis was swimming by some rock and i watched the crab slowly walk up the rocks till it was above the chromis then started to grab at him and the other day i was watching him feast on two snails he had there shells turned over and he had one of the snails in his claws and was eating it
 
steve40

steve40

Member
I definately dont think they would be fast enough to chase one down either but at night you see them sometimes sitting on a rock with their claws in the air waiting for something to swim in their direction if a fish were to go by there is no doubt in my mind he wouldnt snap at it and start to eat it.
 
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pirate_bob

Guest
yea the crab usually sits on the rocks w/ its claws open and then when it gets something it takes it back into some little cavs that are in the rocks.
 
entice59

entice59

Active Member
OH MAN! when i put the emerald in the tank yesterday i basically slapped the clown when it tried pecking at it, and then today when the scooter got too close it snapped at it... :(
either it hates things being near it or its hungry but i have so much hair algae it cant be hungry!!!! i even saw it eating the stuff
 
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starfishjackedme

Guest
I was hand feeding some polyps the other day and one of my emeralds walked up and snatched the piece of shrimp right out from the coral's tentacles! I was like HEY!!! :D
They are opportunistic as mentioned above.
 
entice59

entice59

Active Member
mines isnt fully green... looks like its molting a tanish color on its shell but teh claws are green and have blunt white tips... is that an emerald?
 
maryc137

maryc137

Member
Several months ago I got some 'emerald' crabs from SWF that had no green at all. They were just tan and hairy looking. I thought they were all dead since I never saw them anymore, but I do have one huge crab that is about 1 1/2" across. He's mottled tan with orange/rust claws. I saw him one night grabbing a snail and dragging it under the rocks. I've had 2 other quick glimpses of him since. Not sure if this was from the SWF order, or if something could have been hiding in the rock when I got it last winter. I too would like toknow if the ones I got from SWF were really emerald crabs, since there was no green on them. Are some emeralds just tan color?
 
steve40

steve40

Member
geez!! that is a small emerald, at least yours has both claws, mine lost one and its taking forever for it to grow back
 
wrassecal

wrassecal

Active Member
Here's mine. The only thing I've caught it doing is eating the corraline, which is fine with me. I don't want a totally purple tank anyway. I do however suspect him of poking at my brittlestar (RIP)Mine is green body and pincher, hairy legs
 
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alti

Guest
ive had emeralds for about 2 years now and never had a problem with them till last night. he ate my firefish. the stupid ff was trying to commit suicide by jumping out of the tank. i saved him twice. the second time i put him back into the tank he tried to hide in a hole in the lr. the emerald just so happened to be right next to the hole and grabbed the ff's tail. he pulled him out and went into a crevice. i had to move like 6 pieces of rock and corals to get to him. by the time i freed the ff a good portion of his tail was gone. he seemed like he might have been able to recover, but today there is no sign of him.
 
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pirate_bob

Guest
I though i had enough alge in mine for him but i guess I was wrong.... Could I put him in my fuge or will the slow turnover rate kill him... I think my fuge may turn over 2 - 5 times an hour.
 
jond

jond

Member
I have two rather large ones. I beleive they were the cause of my purple firefishs' death. I may try to catch one next time the opportunity pesents itself and trade it in. I have a couple small patches of hair algea and I have never seem them touch it.
 
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