acro crabs

anyone have them? the symbiotic kind that cleans the acro and keeps it healthy...

any past experiences with them?

 

I had one that came in on a birdsnest. He was great to have. He cleaned the coral whenever anything landed on it.

 

I kinda want one. They stay tiny, right?

 

I have several species in my tank at the moment. The corals that have them always seem to fare better. I had a pair in one colony at one point. Was really hoping for baby crabs, but alas, one moved out.

 

I would say dime size or smaller.

 

do you buy them or do you purchase colonies from online/lfs that they come in on

 

I have never bought any. They have all come on frags / colonies that I have purchased. If I saw almost identical frags but one had a crab, that's the one I got. My latest one was riding a frag from Live Aquaria.

One thing to note. The different species will host different types of coral. You need to make sure that the species you buy will actually host the coral you have. Not to mention, they go where they want, not necessarily the coral you choose for it.

One thing to watch out for though is that there are other crabs that will hitchhike in that are actually eating the coral. Found that one out first hand. Took me forever to get him out without damaging the coral.

 

That's cool you got hitch hiking ones. I wish my SPS came with them! I read the hairy crabs are bad - is that what you found?

 

Yup... he was hairy and very hungry. He devoured quite a bit of my mille before I got him. Was one of my very first acros. I thought it was a commenceral at first... boy was I wrong.

 

they are tiny. I would say a little smaller than a dime. Mine came in on the birdsnest. He was really cool.