Emerald Crab & SPS

[barjam]

Every morning for the past week I wake up to see my emerald crab wrapped around/perched in various SPS in my tank. I haven't noticed any damage but is there any good reason whatsoever for him to be doing this sort of thing? Are they known to eat SPS polyps?

I banished him to the sump just in case.

 

[GatorWPB]

My emerald climbs onto some of my sps, but he does not eat them.
I think he just picks off any small bits of algae or detritis that may accumulate around your SPS. Id put him back if I were you.

 

[agent6473]

Most acros in the wild have "acro crabs" living in their branches. These crabs live in symbiosis with the coral, keeping the inner branches clean while getting a place to stay. I've also noticed my emeralds in the branches of my acros. No problems with them in there, in fact I think they may be helping the corals as Gator pointed out.

 

[barjam]

Well guys, you made my wife happy as that was one her favorite things in the tank.

 

[Snowboarda42]

I have an Emerald that sleeps in the same Pocillipora each night. I see him everywhere in the tank in the day, yet he somehow makes it back to the same coral each night. Never seen any damage either. He's huge too (1.5" body)

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

Think about living in a 5x2' space for your entire life. As high quality as we keep our tanks, you can't blame him for staking a place to sit.

 

[HDAlien]

Mine pick bits of algae off my SPS.