HELP! I think my emerald crab is eating my Leather Coral!

[disccollector]

I've been having problems lately with my leather coral being very shrunken and having little pinch marks in the flesh of it. I thought it might be my water quality but this morning before lights on I saw one of my emerald crabs on top of it...I didn't see him actually doing anything but does anyone know if these little guys will eat the flesh of leather corals. Of course I was told they were reef safe. I've had them in the tank for about 2 months.
If I need to get rid of him...how do I catch him?? Do they make emerald crab traps?
I was thinking a glass on its side at angle with some food would do the trick...any suggestions?

 

[thomas712]

What is your lighting, and location in the tank of this leather?
Describe the color of the leather and color at the base of it now.
Emerald crabs are not really known for going after corals, it could be something on the base that he is after like some type of algea or food source, other than the leather. If the leather is dying then he may be after the food source that is growing around the base of it.
Try taking a clean turkey baster (only used for tank) and blowing some water at the coral to help remove the slime coat that may be growing on it, they do shed like that, see if you can blow anything off of it like that and let me know what happens.
Thomas

 

[disccollector]

Thanks for the reply Thomas..
The emerald crab was actually on the top of the leather on the dark brown part...his "neck" is yellowish white.
I have 330 watts of VHO with 2 super actinics and 1 10k and the leather is in the middle under a PH that is not directly on him.
I will try to take a pic tonight so you can see what I'm talking about. It's just weird because the little pinch marks lead me to believe it's the emerald.

 

[thomas712]

Just a thought here but do your emerald crabs all have the red spot between the joints of the claw arms?

 

[disccollector]

Red spots....wow, never saw them...are they noticeable? My emeralds appear to be all green with hairy legs and white pincers.

 

[hondo]

I doubt the emerald is eating the leather. Most likely just eating algae or something on the surface of the leather, my emerald and my yellow tang do this.
Leathers shed from time to time and may remain closed up and looking bad for up to two weeks or more though it usually does not last this long. Is this leather new to the tank? If so it may just be adjusting to the lighting. If not how long has it been in the tank and when was it last open and looking healthy.
when leathers die off they go pretty quick and there is no mistaking the dead sections. doesn't sound like yours is dieing just probably shedding.

 

[shanev]

Thomas712
Whats the difference between the red spot and non on emarld crabs? I have one of each, and was wondering.

 

[thomas712]

You can tell you have an Emerald crab by the red dot. If it has not got it then you may have some other type of crab.
Only a few crabs can be trusted to be what they claim as reef safe. Emeralds or Mithrax crabs being one of them. Most others I would not trust. This may also be just a renigade Emerald, who knows? It could happen.
Thomas

 

[disccollector]

Here's a pic of the leather coral...it's kind of blurry but you can see the white spots...if i got close it would get even fuzzier and pretty much useless....do you think it's shedding: