how meany Emerald/Ruby Mithrax Crab*

[rocking]

how meany Emerald/Ruby Mithrax Crab* should be in a 40gal tank with a large hair algey bloom ?
what is a good number to be safe with ?

[organism]

They can eat corals when they get bigger, so... zero?

Better to track the source of the algae bloom and kill it from there, most likely overfeeding and too long of a photoperiod.

[ReeferBill]

I have four in my 46 bow and the are doing a good job on my bubble and bryopsis algea...Get the smaller ones the do a better job and last longer. One of my larger ones aquired a taste for xenia, but I don't care about that it grows so fast.I say go for it , you can always get them out....:wave:

[coralnut99]

They can eat corals when they get bigger, so... zero?

Better to track the source of the algae bloom and kill it from there, most likely overfeeding and too long of a photoperiod.

+1 There's just a few crabs sold in the trade that are truly reef-safe. Mithrax (all-species), are opportunistic omnivores. Meaning they'll eat what there's plenty of. They won't venture far to find food, they'll eat the closest and easiest thing around.

[dagon138]

+1 There's just a few crabs sold in the trade that are truly reef-safe. Mithrax (all-species), are opportunistic omnivores. Meaning they'll eat what there's plenty of. They won't venture far to find food, they'll eat the closest and easiest thing around.


1st thing a hitch-hiker Mithrax did in my tank after it cleaned all the algae was go after the corals. They are not worth it IMO. Fine in a sump though.

[Bluetangclan]

Yup, same issue. Ate the algae and then all of mine started on my birdnests. I wont use them anymore regardless of how much i like them.

[noahm]

IME they will not do much on a "large" bloom of HA. IF you address the underlying nutrient source (could be phosphates in the rock, could be overfeeding, etc.), and manually pull the algae, they will do a pretty good job on getting the newer growth down. I kept about 6-10 in my 125 at any given time. Only had 3 out of maybe 25 ever go bad and start eating zoas, but it is like watching a turtle eat--you can pull them off pretty easily and move them to the sump.

It is interesting reefing. At some points, we fear the tiniest bit of snacking from fish and critters that might taste corals, and at other times we are breaking off huge pieces and giving them away to make room.

I would try 3 or 4 in your tank along with the other stuff.

[Sherrf1]

I have two small emeralds and one medium size one to control a large amount of HA. Theyve been working for about two weeks now and I can see a difference everyday. In a month or so Im upgrading to a 58g so they will be moved. The tank I have now might turn into a fish only so I may end up leaving them. Either way, they do a good job on the algae.

[Hyro]

the crabs wont eat the old long hairs as a general rule, they like the fresh, short stuff. If you HAVE to use the crabs, 1 per 20 is a rule i saw somewhere, because they will get big.