Strawberry and Emerald Crabs
- Thread starter Phoenix19
- Start date
mokeyz
Premium Member
You will get mixed opinions about these crabs. I have 3 emeralds and 3 mithrax rubers ( they look like emeralds only pink). One of the rubers is huge (he was sent as a bonus when i ordered 2) and he never bothers any other critters. The rubers also like chaeto very, very much. The emeralds keep to themselves too. I suspect if everything is well fed there isn't much to worry about.
Just my 2 cents...
Just my 2 cents...
That's what I thought, but why would he stay there for as long as he did (He was on it when I woke up, then 2 hours later I had to take it out to cut the rock in half so I pushed him off, then a few hours later he was back on it)? Even if he wasn't eating them (which I do doubt he was eating them) it's probably not great to have them be closed up all the time.
Phoenix19
New member
Update:
Update:
Well I now have an emerald crab and a strawberry crab living happily (I hope) in my tank. The emerald is very active (if that is really the proper term...) It is always moving around picking at stuff. The strawberry crab stays hidden in a set of broken pots I have in the tank most of the time, although I see him in the morning when I turn on the lights and he runs for cover...
When I drop shrimp pellets in the tank for the snails and hermit crabs the emerald actively runs them down and eats them. The strawberry will usually become very animated in the pots and start actively searching for food and picking although he won't come out to get them while the lights are on. I suppose I will start dropping a few in after lights out for him. Is that unusual that they like the shrimp pellets? I thought they mainly fed on algae... *shrugs* They are beautiful crabs, especially those striking red markings on the "elbows) of the emerald crab. I will try to get some decent pictures of them and put up.
Update:
Well I now have an emerald crab and a strawberry crab living happily (I hope) in my tank. The emerald is very active (if that is really the proper term...) It is always moving around picking at stuff. The strawberry crab stays hidden in a set of broken pots I have in the tank most of the time, although I see him in the morning when I turn on the lights and he runs for cover...
When I drop shrimp pellets in the tank for the snails and hermit crabs the emerald actively runs them down and eats them. The strawberry will usually become very animated in the pots and start actively searching for food and picking although he won't come out to get them while the lights are on. I suppose I will start dropping a few in after lights out for him. Is that unusual that they like the shrimp pellets? I thought they mainly fed on algae... *shrugs* They are beautiful crabs, especially those striking red markings on the "elbows) of the emerald crab. I will try to get some decent pictures of them and put up.
Pea-brain
In Memoriam
Crabs are omnivores. One of the reasons I don't trust crabs-he whole lot of them could turn on you (or your fish, or your corals) in an instant, even if they are well fed. They are cool, but the only crab I'd put in a tank with anything I cared about would be a porcelain crab.
Dan
Dan
Phoenix19
New member
Another Update:
Both the crabs are doing well. The emerald is still more active during the day, while the strawberry is much more inclined to come out if the lights are dimmed or off. It is no longer staying in the ceramic pots, it has taken up residence on the emerald's favorite rock. They haven't fought or anything which is good as I was initially concerned that there might be territory issues as the footprint of this tank is not very big.
After knocking a few zooanthid frags of the rocks several times (two to three times daily) I have super glued them to the rocks, following instructions in the Fall 2007 / Volume 1 issue of Reef Hobbyist Magazine. The culprits were mainly hermit crabs, but I suspect the emerald of some two. The strawberry hid so much at first I don't think he had a lot to do with it.
I'm still feeding several shrimp pellets when I feed the fish. The nassarius snails and hermit crabs seem to love them. The strawberry and emerald snag a few and eat them and go back to picking at the rocks, plants, and sand bed. The queen conch ignores them completely unless she actually runs over one.
I am thinking about adding a tiger sand conch to the mix to help keep the sand bed clean. Am hoping this is going to be a good idea. I don't mind feeding them so starving shouldn't be a problem.
Are either one of these crabs considered nocturnal? I know the strawberry runs if I turn on the light, although it seems like it is getting more accustomed to it being on. Then again I may just be training her to come out when I'm feeding. The emerald certainly doesn't seem as photophobic as the strawberry.
Also the tank is looking a little cloudy. Like there is a dust storm swirling around. Imagine a crystal ball but not that dense. I'm hoping this is a bacterial bloom. Although the water is testing like it should for a newly set up tank.
Both the crabs are doing well. The emerald is still more active during the day, while the strawberry is much more inclined to come out if the lights are dimmed or off. It is no longer staying in the ceramic pots, it has taken up residence on the emerald's favorite rock. They haven't fought or anything which is good as I was initially concerned that there might be territory issues as the footprint of this tank is not very big.
After knocking a few zooanthid frags of the rocks several times (two to three times daily) I have super glued them to the rocks, following instructions in the Fall 2007 / Volume 1 issue of Reef Hobbyist Magazine. The culprits were mainly hermit crabs, but I suspect the emerald of some two. The strawberry hid so much at first I don't think he had a lot to do with it.
I'm still feeding several shrimp pellets when I feed the fish. The nassarius snails and hermit crabs seem to love them. The strawberry and emerald snag a few and eat them and go back to picking at the rocks, plants, and sand bed. The queen conch ignores them completely unless she actually runs over one.
I am thinking about adding a tiger sand conch to the mix to help keep the sand bed clean. Am hoping this is going to be a good idea. I don't mind feeding them so starving shouldn't be a problem.
Are either one of these crabs considered nocturnal? I know the strawberry runs if I turn on the light, although it seems like it is getting more accustomed to it being on. Then again I may just be training her to come out when I'm feeding. The emerald certainly doesn't seem as photophobic as the strawberry.
Also the tank is looking a little cloudy. Like there is a dust storm swirling around. Imagine a crystal ball but not that dense. I'm hoping this is a bacterial bloom. Although the water is testing like it should for a newly set up tank.
do you mind posting a few pics of the two? would love to see them... i love the emeralds, their behavior cracks me up =) our LFS had a few very small ones, they were very amusing to watch.... i would love to see what yours looked like, but im glad your crabs are doing good =) as for your questions i have no idea lol im still in the proccess of raising $$ for my tank lol (slow and painful)
Phoenix19
New member
I don't mind at all. I will try to get some good pics of them tomorrow with the digital camera. I have a few pics on my phone but they are low res, and not very good. The strawberry is by far the hardest to get a pic of as she hides from the light. So even when I can see her pretty clearly, the camera can't and you just see some red in a shadow....grrr
that would be great! and bley... i know the cell i use to have was horrid lol... that was until i got my camera (got it when i got the internet as a bonus) it is horrible tho haha but hey its free =) but i definat ly would love to see a picture of the two ( i have fallen in love with the crabs, the baby we saw in that lfs like i said be4 reminded me of a child playing in the sand by the way he would try digging for food... i would have bought him on the spot if i had tthe tank set up (well even bought) =( .....
quik question (if u havnt already done this) are you still looking for info on the crabs themselves? i can see if i can find some stuff about how they are in the wild and such (if u havnt already done it urself) if thta may interest u =)
i have a spare at school so i get an hour to myself and on most days i have absolutly NOTHING to do haha --- rather boring when u have no homework lol
anyways cant wait to see the pics!
quik question (if u havnt already done this) are you still looking for info on the crabs themselves? i can see if i can find some stuff about how they are in the wild and such (if u havnt already done it urself) if thta may interest u =)
i have a spare at school so i get an hour to myself and on most days i have absolutly NOTHING to do haha --- rather boring when u have no homework lol
anyways cant wait to see the pics!
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