To start, I started a 5 gallon reef tank about a month ago. My chemistry has been stable. Up until 2 days ago I only had a thinstriped hermit about the size of a ping pong ball with a tricolor anemone attached and a zoa frag living in the tank. I purchased a turbo snail and a peppermint shrimp. Today I found the crab muching on the shrimp. My question is whether the crab killed the shrimp or was merely cleaning up...if it did kill the shrimp what other options do I jave for a critter that performs the same function...maybe a goby?
Cuc advice
- Thread starter cal7212
- Start date
Aerosol
Member
I would guess cleaning up. I have 4 of those crabs in my tank with a peppermint shrimp with no problems. A healthy shrimp should be able to get away from the crab, it's a lot faster. However, crabs are opportunistic, so if it was hungry, and got lucky, it's possible that it killed the shrimp.
Also, be sure that it wasn't just the shrimp's molt that you saw the crab eating. Your shrimp might be hiding if it just molted.
Also, be sure that it wasn't just the shrimp's molt that you saw the crab eating. Your shrimp might be hiding if it just molted.
Calappidae
Harlequin Shrimp
That tank is really small. For one that anemone needs out of there as it needs a really stable and established tank.. and by stable we're talking a 6 month old 30+ gallon.
