This really makes me mad!

[regina filange]

Ok... what's the deal?
Why do places sell these so called "clean up crews" for your reef tank, when many of what's included don't go well with each other?
Usually it includes several types of hermit crabs, several types of snails, an Emerald Crab etc...
Now I find out that hermits are troublesome and will very often eat your snails! So I removed my hermits and gave them back to my LFS.
So I purchased a couple frags and placed them in the tank; Star Polys and a Zoo.
After 2 days I notice that the Polys and Zoo's are coming off the tile/plug they are glued to. So I glued them back on, using LockTite Gel. (not sure what my LFS uses).
I finally discovered that it's my EMERALD CRAB! At this point it's hard to tell if he's going after the poly/zoos or the glue? Perhaps the algae on the tile?
In any case, he's destroying them.
Is this normal? And if so... why the heck do they sell clean up crews for your nano reef tank that include an invert that will eat your snails and kill your corals?
I know they want to make a buck, but geez... this just is just wrong, and it makes me mad!
I guess he'll be going back to the LFS too!
I really like my Emerald Crab and really want to keep him. I even named him "Oz".
ARGH!

 

[freshman]

Are you sure its an emerald crab and not a gorilla?

 

[notsonoob]

Originally Posted by Regina Filange
http:///forum/post/2821407
Ok... what's the deal?
Why do places sell these so called "clean up crews" for your reef tank, when many of what's included don't go well with each other?
Usually it includes several types of hermit crabs, several types of snails, an Emerald Crab etc...
Now I find out that hermits are troublesome and will very often eat your snails! So I removed my hermits and gave them back to my LFS.
So I purchased a couple frags and placed them in the tank; Star Polys and a Zoo.
After 2 days I notice that the Polys and Zoo's are coming off the tile/plug they are glued to. So I glued them back on, using LockTite Gel. (not sure what my LFS uses).
I finally discovered that it's my EMERALD CRAB! At this point it's hard to tell if he's going after the poly/zoos or the glue? Perhaps the algae on the tile?
In any case, he's destroying them.
Is this normal? And if so... why the heck do they sell clean up crews for your nano reef tank that include an invert that will eat your snails and kill your corals?
I know they want to make a buck, but geez... this just is just wrong, and it makes me mad!
I guess he'll be going back to the LFS too!
I really like my Emerald Crab and really want to keep him. I even named him "Oz".
ARGH!
Crabs are ever the opportunist. The hermits usually get a to an astrea after it has fallen off the glass or rocks. The snail cannot flip itself over so it is instant escargot. They don't hunt down snails unless they are absolutely starving and they have no spare shells to move into. If you give them some food and shells, then they are usually a lot more docile. I would ensure yourself a level of hermits in your tank, because they are excellent and feeding off the scraps of food left behind.
I'd think that your Emerald is probably hungry and searching for food. But you have to remember that they are omnivores, so they will feast of flesh as well as plant life. So far I've seen and emerald crab take out a weakened clam and rip a feather duster out of it's tube. But otherwise they just like to hang out in the rocks and usually they go unseen.

 

[regina filange]

Thanks for the info guys!
I do feed him algae sheets now and then. Plus there is plenty of algae in the tank. Also left over flake and cyclops. Thought that would have been enough?
Do you think the Emerald (if I decide to keep him), a Porcelain Crab (hitchhiker), a Cleaner Shrimp, 2 Peppermint Shrimp and about 8 different snails (no turbos) is enough of a clean up crew, without getting hermits?