Porcelain Crabs

[spiderwoman]

These guys are way cool. I have 2 blue and 2 purple ones and they have all been scaring the crappola out of me all week. Every single one of them has molted for the first time and each time I was sure I had a dead crab in the tank. The molt is by far the most lifelike molt ever and it stays completely intact. After spending an hour finding and counting my PC's I find them all live and well.
The crab that comes out of the molt is tiny compared to the shell. It's basically

[hr]
with tiny claws. The big feathery grabbers are still in place and the size of them is no smaller than in the *original* shell. All 4 of mine are now hanging behind the huge monti cap I have in that tank.
Anybody else have Porcelain Crabs?

 

[alix2.0]

i thought about getting some but didnt really see the point, plus im a little hesitant about crabs. in your opinion, are they worth it? i love having a bunch of inverts in the tank to watch.

 

[prk543]

I had one, but i haven't seen any signs of it in a month and a half. It could still be there, but it could have also been crushed by me adding some LR to my tank

. I have to take my tank down next weekend to move, so hopefully I will find it.
Great animals, I got to watch mine molt one afternoon. Its pretty cool

 

[prk543]

Originally Posted by alix2.0
http:///forum/post/2603272
i thought about getting some but didnt really see the point, plus im a little hesitant about crabs. in your opinion, are they worth it? i love having a bunch of inverts in the tank to watch.
They have a tendancy to hang out in crevaces and in overhangs, but its neat to watch them filter feeding. In my opinion, they are worth having.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by alix2.0
http:///forum/post/2603272
i thought about getting some but didnt really see the point, plus im a little hesitant about crabs. in your opinion, are they worth it? i love having a bunch of inverts in the tank to watch.
Porcelain Crabs are the only Crab I would consider to be completely Reef Safe. They are filter feeders.

 

[spiderwoman]

Originally Posted by alix2.0
http:///forum/post/2603272
i thought about getting some but didnt really see the point, plus im a little hesitant about crabs. in your opinion, are they worth it? i love having a bunch of inverts in the tank to watch.
Definitely worth it. I didn't like to pay $10/each, but they seem to be very hardy and a lot of fun watching. When I'm feeding the tank, all 4 rush to the best flow places where food passes them by. I witnessed one smacking my Goby in the head when they were both fighting over the best spot.

 

[grabbitt]

I've got a purple porcelain in my 3 gallon... Coolest thing in the tank to watch

 

[ryno_mn]

I love mine, that is when I can find it, I rarely see the whole crab. Most of the time i just see two fans waving in the water under a crevice or something.

 

[reefmate75]

i have 2 now and thats always the free item i sellect when i place a order here, very cool little guys, but mine like to hide

i see them every now and then and they normally stay in the same spot for weeks

 

[coral keeper]

I'm thinking of getting one for my nano tank.

 

[grabbitt]

Originally Posted by Ryno_mn
http:///forum/post/2603600
I love mine, that is when I can find it, I rarely see the whole crab. Most of the time i just see two fans waving in the water under a crevice or something.
Same here. I have to hunt to find mine and it's only in a pico!

 

[spiderwoman]

I've been lucky with ours because we have a see-through tank I pretty much know where they love to hang out... underside of the huge monti cap or between the first 2 rocks on the right hand side. Sometimes all 4 are under the cap and they are lined up like a wall of feathers

 

[johnnyd]

these are cool crabs, but watch out for the anemone crabs, like the carribean one, when its hungry it eat my corals, little pest it is.

 

[alix2.0]

Originally Posted by johnnyd
http:///forum/post/2604955
these are cool crabs, but watch out for the anemone crabs, like the carribean one, when its hungry it eat my corals, little pest it is.
same with decorator crabs. they say they dont eat corals BUT THEY DO.
experience sucks.

 

[mx#28]

I got a Porcelain Crab about 2 years ago and it was so small I thought I'd never see it again in my 120, but he's always out and very entertaining to watch as he 'nets' food from the water. Does anyone know roughly how long they live?

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by MX#28
http:///forum/post/2604992
I got a Porcelain Crab about 2 years ago and it was so small I thought I'd never see it again in my 120, but he's always out and very entertaining to watch as he 'nets' food from the water. Does anyone know roughly how long they live?
My Pair are about 8 years old.