What kind of crab can I add?

[civileng68]

What kind of crabs can I add to my tank based on what I have in there now?
I have a well established tank and used to have an emerald crab until he tried to eat my fish when he got really big.
I already have lots of hermits.
I'm starting to get some algae (brown) on my sand bed and would like something to eat it (fighting conch?).
I have 55 gallon column tank (30" long)
Lots of Live Rock
Nice thick sand bed
Green Bubble Coral
1 Stony coral
1 Frogspawn
1 Purple Dottyback (which is very friendly though it's labled as semi-agressive)
1 Star Blenny
2 False Perce (hosted with the Frogspawn)
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 rock of zoo's (maybe 4" by 6")
I need something that will be safe with each of these items but I'm looking for something to eat algae and/or to be fun to watch in the tank. I'm really looking to just add to the fun of the tank.
Can you all give some ideas for crabs or overall safe inverts.
peaceful only please

 

[whitemike]

Crabs aren't the nicest creatures and theres not that manny to choose from. There is fidler crabs, but they suck. Hermit crabs are my favorite. Those are the only peaceful ones I know of and I don't recomen filder crabs for manny reasons. Your best bet is shrimps. I love shrimps. Some one will probally correct me cause I'm not an expert.

 

[civileng68]

Originally Posted by WhiteMike
Crabs aren't the nicest creatures and theres not that manny to choose from. There is fidler crabs, but they suck. Hermit crabs are my favorite. Those are the only peaceful ones I know of and I don't recomen filder crabs for manny reasons. Your best bet is shrimps. I love shrimps. Some one will probally correct me cause I'm not an expert.

Okay well lets hear some shrimp then. I have 1 cleaner and want to add another, so what OTHER shrimps can I add along with them?
WHAT INVERTS IN GENERAL SHOULD I ADD? I LOVE inverts!

 

[whitemike]

My personal favorite shrimp is the pistol shrimp cause he works with my goby. He hides all the time except when food is in the tank. I think if they are paired and the shrimp gets big they strole around. He can scare fish away with snaping his claws and hes real cool looking. I also have a pepermient shrimp which is big and hes the boss. He will come on to my hand when I stick it on. He also eats out of my hand. Man that guy never sleeps. Don't get a camel shrimp. Banded shrimp are ok, but are jerks and will eat corals some times. Best bet is the first two they don't mess up any thing in the tank and are good for the tank a little bit. I went through the same thing with the crabs it sucks dude I loved my emerald crab, but he got to big and couldn't get enough food in my little tank. He was a jerk though, but I loved that little jerk.

 

[whitemike]

If you get snails I just stick with margrita snails which I think the need to be out of water some times and its good for them so if you have an inch of space on top they will go up there. Than Nassuris snails are cool. Ofcourse all the diffrent turbo snails. Don't get an Astrea snail they fall over and can't get up like an old person in that comerical. "I fallen and I can't get up. Where on are way mam."

 

[whitemike]

If you ever find an star astrea snail your the man in my book.

 

[frankthetank]

Originally Posted by civileng68
Okay well lets hear some shrimp then. I have 1 cleaner and want to add another, so what OTHER shrimps can I add along with them?
WHAT INVERTS IN GENERAL SHOULD I ADD? I LOVE inverts!
I'm like you, I love inverts. I love the life that they bring to a tank.
Here's what I got from SWF.com.
10 Scarlet Hermits (very pretty, and very peaceful)
10 Turbos
10 Nassarius snails (these are cool)
2 Sandsifting Cucumbers (which spend more time on the glass)
1 CB Shrimp (I think they are beautiful)
1 Queen Conch
3 Emerald crabs (kind of prehistoric looking)
I would definitely get some scarlet hermits, they really are nice. I know it's not an invert, but a twin spotted goby is really cool too. Just get them in pairs.

 

[civileng68]

Thanks for the feedback.
One thing I'd love to ask about is the purple lobster on the site here. I'm not sure I'd want it anyways but is it safe for a reef tank with fish, inverts and corals?

 

[civileng68]

Also, is a pistol shrimp or coral banded shrimp comptabile with my current cleaner shrimp?

 

[gatorwpb]

Coral banded shrimp can be predatory so Ive heard. Cleaner shrimp are great and I also use a Fire shrimp.

The fire shrimp hide a little more than cleaner shrimp, but are beautiful!!
I looked into the purple lobster, but heard you barely see them because they stay in the back of the rocks, and only come out at night.
Some people avoid hermits altogether, because they can kill snails for their shells or if theyre hungry. I have about 5 hermits in my 65.
Emerald crabs are great and I also have a Sallylightfoot crab. Both are great cleaners.
The snails I have are Astrea (15), nassarius (30) and Cerith (30). I may get a couple Mexican Turbos or Nerite snails soon. Snails are the way to go IMO.
Queen or fighting conchs are cool. Also, check out sexy shrimp.

 

[frankthetank]

Scarlet hermits are very peaceful. Can't say the same for Blue leg hermits though.
I've seen Sallylightfoot crabs get huge and eat corals.

 

[whitemike]

If you have enough empty shells and reminder they are very picky and stuborn on the shells. They are also need to try a couple out so they could kill just to try it out, but if you have enough shells it will be ok. I have like 20 empty shells and only five hermit crabs.