Sally Lightfoot (from hell?!!!!)

johnsab

johnsab

New Member
I've got a huge (5" to 6" tip of foot to tip of foot) sally lightfoot that I've had for a little over a year and it is getting extremely bold in it's old age! At feeding time it will come out and sit on the rocks and grabs at anything that swims near it. Do you think it's actually trying to eat the fish or just defending it's "feeding ground". I've heard they are pretty much algae eaters and I've also heard they are oppurtunistic feeders just like most crabs and will eat anything they can catch.
The tank is a 125 gal FOWL, 5"-6" Niger Trigger, 3"-4" Picasso Trigger, 3"-4" Hawkfish,
3"-4" 3-Stripe Damsel, Newly added 2" Maculosus Angel and a 6"-7" zebra Moray.
This is my second eel, the first lived for a month and then I found the headless carcass,
he was also a 6"-7" juvenile. Sally Lightfoot ??? or I figured he died and then became food for all of the crabs.
Anyway, before I'm accused of rambling on, I'm worried about my new Angel because of it's size. Should I try to catch the Sally Lightfoot? I can't imagine it being easy to do!!
Any suggestions appreciated.
Syd
 
fuax

fuax

Member
WOW you are able to keep a crab in with niger and piccasso triggers. I would fear more for the crab then the fish to be honest.
But if you are that worried about the MAC and your crab is that aggressive it might be an Option to pull it out.
At 5" to 6" it may make a good appetizer ( I am just kidding)
 
the reef

the reef

Member
Originally Posted by Fuax
WOW you are able to keep a crab in with niger and piccasso triggers. I would fear more for the crab then the fish to be honest.
But if you are that worried about the MAC and your crab is that aggressive it might be an Option to pull it out.
At 5" to 6" it may make a good appetizer ( I am just kidding)
I would sugest that a juvinal eal with the trigger is not a good mix trigger will pick on the juvinal eal I added a large eal to my trigger tank so I imagine that the triggers did the killing and the crab is simply cleaning up
 
cats eye

cats eye

Member
Well, I didnt know sallys got that big. I just bought one two days ago and it is pretty small, I have a tang, clown, goby and royal gramma. Also some zoos and mushrooms, will my sally eat the zoos and mushrooms, now or eventually?
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
with your fish stock its probably a matter of time before that bold behavior causes him to become dinner. Sally lightfoots do get bold and more aggressive with age and size and I assume since your fish havent bothered him he's feeling full of himself. I too would be more worried about the triggers tuning their teeth on his chasis than him eating any fish. If you have alot of rock work sally's are nearly impossible to catch with their quickness and flat structure.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
Originally Posted by promisetbg
They don't eat corals..but are known to eat small fish.
arent suppose to but mine started eating seamat like it was an algae sheet so I removed him with a quickness. He gave me quite a run before I caught him.
 
anthropo

anthropo

Member
small sally's are herbivores, but as they get older the more predatory they become. they aren't reef safe, and the larger they become the more aggressive and destructive they become. their body itself, not including legs, gets to be 4 inches. the change from nice crab to evil crab is thought to be because of sexual maturity. the crabs are known for jumping at fish and often catches them. large ones will rip open soft corals and anemones to get at the inside contents. they will also eat hermits. in my opinion not somethin i'd want in my tank, but since you have an aggressive tank for the most part i wouldn't worry about it.
 
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