Lobophyllia vs Emerald crab

[khale]

Hello everyone,
Has anyone had a problem with an emerald crab eating a lobophyllia? I just got home and noticed what appeared to be a wound on the underside of my lobophyllia. Called the LFS where I purchased it and asked what we could do for it; he suggested an iodine dip as it might have been caused by a hitch hiker. I went to remove the coral and noticed that the emerald crab was snacking on the tear/wound. I guess my question is could this wound have been caused by the emerald? Also, how am I going the catch the sucker to remove him before he killes the coral?

 

[justinx]

I just evicted my emerald crab because he was responsible for the demise of all but one coral in my tank

 

[khale]

If I can catch him he is going into the quarantine tank till his little green bottom can be returned!!
Sorry about your corals; it takes us so long to build these tanks up then something decides we are growing a food source and starts snacking it can be so frustrating!!

 

[justinx]

It kinda sucks, but some of the corals are making a comeback. I guess that with emerald crabs it is hit or miss. Some are reef safe and others are not. I guess i got one that isnt and it sound like you did too. I will never again purchase one for a reef tank unless i get a real big tank. I bought mine because i thought it was a good addition, but i was defenitely wrong about that. He didnt even clean anything in the tank. Good luck cathing him. it took me about a week to catch mine.
To catch him, try the old bait technique. If you have fish in your tank than this will be a little more difficult, but i didnt feed my tnak for a couple days, then once i did i was ready with a bucket for the little sucker to go into. I have found that they will attack your hand rather than run away from it if you move slowly. It doesnt hurt to get pinched by them. Happened to me several times.

 

[alti]

i have emeralds in all of my tanks and they have never bothered anything. where did you guys get these monsters. ive seen some stores sell some crabs as emeralds, but they really were hitchhikers they got with the lr shipments.

 

[justinx]

thats probably what it is, my LFS is full of thieves and liars

 

[reefaddicted]

IT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE THAT ANYTHING THAT EATS ALGAE, WILL EAT ANYTHING WITH ZOOXALANTHAE, IF IT DOES NOT HAVE A PLENTIFUL SUPPLY OF FOOD.
MY HIPPO PICKS AT MY CORALS IF I DON'T MAKE SURE IT IS FED ENOUGH SPIRULINA(SP?)
YES....THE ONE IN MY AVATAR

 

[khale]

So far have not been able to catch the little mutt. We were gone all day today and when we returned the mushrooms were munched on! Our tank is 110gal so I would think that he would have plenty to eat. The trap and bait would be hard as I have a cleaner shrimp that I think is part Hoover vacuum so he would be the only thing I would trap. May have to remove the rocks until he can be nabbed. His days are definately numbered!!
Thanks for all of the sympathy!