Special needs for inverts

[FormulatedFire]

i really like a bunch of shrimp and crabs are there any special things that i need for them........the tank is going to be fowlr but i really want a few emerald crabs,cleaner shrimp, and maybe a few others.......is there any inverts i should stay away from

 

[Joshthenosh]

dont get harliquin shrimp unless your willing to feed them star fish, i have a blood shrimp and a cleaner the blood shrimp si a bit shy, but the cleaner is great he takes flakes right off my finger,

i also have 4 hermit crabs ones great hes called crazy joe!

 

[MiddletonMark]

Emerald crabs, peppermint or cleaner shrimp, blue-leg hermits ... all reef safe inverts, with good lifespans in tanks.

I would avoid other shrimp + crabs, unless you know about them.
[Calfo + Fenner's reef invertebrates book is a good reference].

I would generally avoid starfish, unless you've read on them and have a proven stable system ... even so, only a few IMO regularly have long lifespans in aquaria [serpent/brittles IMO].

Best is to research before buying ... if that means coming home from the LFS after finding them [before buying] + checking online, buying a book + keeping it in your car ... but IMO there's so much variety among each type of creature, and given many don't do well long-term in aquaria or have competing needs ... worth investigating.

No simple answer, but if you ask about specific creatures - probably better answers.

 

[IslandCrow]

I have a couple emerald crabs, some skunk cleaners and peppermints, and they're all quite benign. You won't see the peppermints very often since they seem to be strictly nocturnal, especially once they find a good hiding place. One of my emerald crabs is getting pretty huge, but he doesn't seem to be overly aggressive. He'll nip a little at my fish if they linger too close, but it doesn't look like he's trying to hurt them, just push them away. I've heard coral banded shrimp can get mean (I know they get kind of big), but that doesn't seem to be everyone's experience. I'm planning on avoiding them just in case. Oh, and the lobsters my LFS gets in seem to like to eat their tankmates, so they may not be the best choice either.

 

[BlackOnyx]

no crabs is technically safe. If they wanna they will.

 

[IslandCrow]

Well, if he's doing a fish only, I would think most crabs would be pretty safe as long as they're not too aggressive, especially hermit crabs. I keep a close eye on my emerald crabs, though. They do seem to be fairly territorial. I could see a big one doing damage to a fish that couldn't take a hint.

 

[Loralie]

Coral bandedshrimp will do fine. Stay away form the harlequins, they eat ONLY starfish. I have a pair that feed on the small starfish inhabiting my systems. As for crabs I think emeralds, sally lightfoots, hermits. Pom Pom are not a good choice with larger fishes. I have one in my fuge, where it does well by itself. Keep in mind when you decide on Brittle stars they get very large. Serpents do well though.

 

[BlackOnyx]

many fish sleep on the floor of the ocean. That crazy hermit or emerald just needs a reason to give him a good clip. My hermits are always changing snail shells like its a fashion show or something. "ohh purple looks better on me"

 

[IslandCrow]

Yes, I've already learned that my hermits are the #1 threat to my snails (at least the ones who can't flip themselves over). Are they really much a threat to fish, though? Blue legs at least don't seem to get very big. I could see an emerald taking a snip at a fish, but I've yet to actually witness it in my very limited experience.

 

[IslandCrow]

Oh, a little off subject, but how large is large when you're talking about brittle stars. I currently have one in my 55g. I'd say he's probably a little more than half a foot in diameter if you stretched him out. Is he eventually going to outgrow my tank? He's probably not going to be fun to remove if that becomes the case, since he only seems to venture out from underneath the rocks pretty late at night.