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!

 

[rebelprettyboy]

I aslo wonder that often. Theyll sell u a nano clean up crew with 2 diff stars. And all of em give u starfish and those need established tanks to survive and ur clean up crew is usually ur first thing u buy after the cycle

Thats why its always important to research and come up with your own list!
But I seriouslt questions a lot of CUC some sites sell

 

[t316]

Yes to both points.
1) Yes, lfs is only out to make a buck in most cases. When your stuff dies, you come back for more, repeat process. You are ahead of the game by knowing this general rule of thumb.
2) Yes, snails and hermit crabs are generally considered part of a "clean up crew", but yes crabs do/will eat snails, but usually if there is nothing else to eat, or most often, when they want to steal their larger shell. A snail grows his shell as he grows, but not a crab. And as we know, crabs grow too, so when they outgrow the shell they are in, they look for anything in the tank that will accomodate their bigger size.
Solutions....make sure your tank is well fed, thus the crabs are not hungry, and throw in a bunch of extra shells (bigger than the ones the crabs are in now) so the crabs have some easy choices for hotels as they grow.

 

[regina filange]

Thanks for the responses.
I no longer have the hermits, so no need for extra shells now.
I thought I did do my research. I thought Emerald Crabs only ate algae. Guess I was wrong.
So... people that want corals only keep snails as their cuc?

 

[phenetix]

I've always used zebra hermits... they leave my snails and polyps alone and you need to make sure the red hermits they give you have yellow eye stalks. Some shops sell different types of hermits that have red legs but are not the same species. Blue legs are a little more aggressive as well so i stay away from those.

 

[paintballer768]

Emeralds eating softie corals happen. Many fish and inverts widely regarded as reefsafe are commonly misnamed, because they very much can destroy things. Clown gobies nip at the polyps of SPS corals, almost all blennies can eat corals. They have a strong mouth and can take chunks if they get hungry.