Cuc advice

[cal7212]

To start, I started a 5 gallon reef tank about a month ago. My chemistry has been stable. Up until 2 days ago I only had a thinstriped hermit about the size of a ping pong ball with a tricolor anemone attached and a zoa frag living in the tank. I purchased a turbo snail and a peppermint shrimp. Today I found the crab muching on the shrimp. My question is whether the crab killed the shrimp or was merely cleaning up...if it did kill the shrimp what other options do I jave for a critter that performs the same function...maybe a goby?

[Aerosol]

I would guess cleaning up. I have 4 of those crabs in my tank with a peppermint shrimp with no problems. A healthy shrimp should be able to get away from the crab, it's a lot faster. However, crabs are opportunistic, so if it was hungry, and got lucky, it's possible that it killed the shrimp.

Also, be sure that it wasn't just the shrimp's molt that you saw the crab eating. Your shrimp might be hiding if it just molted.

[Calappidae]

That tank is really small. For one that anemone needs out of there as it needs a really stable and established tank.. and by stable we're talking a 6 month old 30+ gallon.

[cal7212]

I had aquired the anemone with the crab one day at the beach. We have been using the same water that we took him out of. I have 10# of live rock and live sand...my chemistry is rock solid and the anemone has not changed in appearance or eating patterns.....

[cal7212]

I dont think it was a molt because I could see the meat...

[cal7212]

@calappidae thank you for your input. You are the first person to express concern about the tank size and age. I set up this tank strictly for the crab and anemone and had received advice from several LFS and aquarists...I will look at relocating hi....