Decorator Crab

[raddog1]

I have a decorator crab in a 29G and would like to add some other hermits maybe a blue leg or Halloween hermit.

What are the chances they will fight? The decorator is the only inhabitant so far besides some snails.

 

[Doc Hammer]

I've got a decorator in a 12g with about five hermits and the only thing he's ever done was push them away if they come too close to him. Just to warn you, my decorator has eaten every mushroom coral I've put in with him and has attached every zoanthid and stuck it to his carapace as well.

 

[raddog1]

I am not as fond of the mushroom corals as zoas, so that is fine. Right now he has pebbles attached to his legs and back, I don't have anything for him to attach besides some pebbles and algae right now. The tank is only 6 weeks old, so I have not added any coral. I have thought about trying to get a real small nem to see if he would put it on his back. That would just be cool, maybe I'll have to get some zoas and see also.

That is good news about the hermits, I'll be adding a few soon then. Thanks.

What about adding a porcelain crab? Anyone with experience there?

 

[Doc Hammer]

Porcelain crab might be pushing it, especially since they tend to be smaller than the decorators. I had a coral banded shrimp and the decorator ate him, but the shrimp may have been on his way out anyways since the day before the decorator got him he was acting erratically. But yeah, the decorator is like every other crab in that they're aggressive scavengers. I think it helps with mine that I feed him a piece of silver side every day while feeding my clown fish that he's in with, whom he's never bothered aside from raising his claws at them to shoo them away when they got too close to him.

P.S. I wouldn't go with the anemone just yet, they require better conditions than a 6 week old tank can offer. But the zoas should be fine, but I'd go with a $10-20 frag, since you never know how they'll do.

 

[raddog1]

Thanks, ya I will def. wait on the Nem. I plan to upgrade the lights in 6 or so months and them put a BTA in for some clowns to host in. But that is all in time. I'll look for a cheap zoa frag. Thanks.

 

[Doc Hammer]

What lighting are you working with?