Safe Crabs

[namar the submariner]

I'm trying to come up with a list of "safe" crabs and lobsters for a reef. Any suggestions, comments and first hand knowledge would be helpful. Thank You.

 

[hondo]

I have never heard of a crab that someone has not had a bad experience with. that being said I personally like (and have in my reef) the scarlet reef hermits, sally lightfoot crab, and emerald crabs. They have never given me problems but that is no gaurantee as many people on this board will tell you horror stories about each of these. Basically it's hit or miss with some of these crabs as yo can always get a bad one.

 

[ak_reefer]

I have a Sally Lightfoot and Red Scarlet Hermits and they do not bother my corals or inverts.

 

[nm reef]

Everybody wants to convince me that my emeralds/scarlets/blue legs are monsters of the reef.......I have all of them and they have never been a problem.........but who knows

 

[mlm]

I had a post a couple of days ago about the purple lobster on that SWF.com sells and most people said they are reef safe but you do not see them at all except at night.

 

[karlas]

scarlet reef hermits and dwarf zebra hermits are supposed to be the safest and most docile of the crabs. ive been checking into this myself and thats what i keep finding for info. also if they start causing a problem they can always be given away or traded back in.

 

[keitho]

LOL..."safe crabs"...what an oxymoron! IMHO, ANY species can be problematic if the individual has the propensity to do the things that come naturally to it...i.e., eat everything in site! if they are getting enough food, then they probably won't be a problem...but even that's not a guarantee...