purple lobster

[cindyski]

i noticed that they sell purple lobsters on this site they look really cool, the ad says great for reefs. what do you guys think of these?
years ago i bought one that was SUPPOSED to be fresh water safe and it ate all my fish and got HUGE, needless to say i had to take it back to he store.
my tank isnt set up yet, i am just browsing the fish & stuff i might want for when the time comes. i will have corals and some fish.
thanks!

 

[bdhough]

I've heard they get to be a foot long at least. They will hide constantly so if you have a large tank i wouldn't bother. You won't see him much. As far as reef safe i don't think they mess with corals but maybe weak or sleeping fish. I guess treat them like a coral banded shrimp, but one that gets much much bigger.

 

[cindyski]

ok, sounds like a NO, any other opinions?

 

[whiterose]

I have one a purple lobster and I enjoy watching it, WHEN it comes out. If you want to enjoy seeying what you have on a regular basis, then a losbter is probably not for you because they keep hidden most of the time. But when they do come our, they are very cool!

 

[cindyski]

whiterose,
what else do you have in your tank?

 

[zibnata]

I had one and it nevercame out during the day. All I saw was empty snail and hermit shells every morning. I had to remove almost everything to catch it and return it to LFS.Had to buy a new cleanup crew.It ate almost all my hermits and snails in a week

 

[cindyski]

ok, forget that! thats what i went through with my freshwater lobster. never again

 

[whiterose]

Originally posted by CindySki
whiterose,
what else do you have in your tank?
I have clarkii's, damsels, black mollies, Spotted Hawkfish, snails, hermit crabs, curlique anemones, mushroom corrals, cup corral, several varieties of chromis, peppermint and cleaner shrimp