SALLY LIGHTFOOT.. mistake?

During my trip to the LFS store today, i ended up picking up a sally lightfoot crab. The gentlemen who normally helps me said that these guys are great at knocking out GHA, and shouldn't harm any coral or other inhabitants. Now that hes in my tank and i've done more research im really regretting it. Are my blood shrimp/cleaner shrimp/ watchman goby/ chromis at risk??? anyone have any experience with these guys?? I also heard that they are very hard to catch, if i need to pull him out does anyone have any ideas??

 

I had 2 in my tank for over a year and never hurt anything. They just grazed the rocks all day and night for food. One would actually be trying to climb the front of the glass at night doing a little "dance" trying to get up. My wife and I used laugh constantly!
I also have a blood shrimp, 2 cleaner shrimp, coral banded shrimp, and 2 pistol shrimps that have so far outlived them and are fine.
But, if you have to catch them, it is very difficult, they are very FAST!

 

na your other critters are fine- unless the SLF crab gets really hungry, which in a home aquarium, I doubt will ever happen.

 

I never had an issue with them.

 

Mine never touched GHA, Much like peppermint shrimps eating aptasia. Its a shot in the dark if the will or not. Good luck!

 

+ 1

been lucky myself thus far
had a couple of them about 3 months now, and no aggression to anything else in tank yet

mine will eat GHA, also Bubble algae, black turf algae (which they can scrape right down to bare rock) and that red brush type algae (looks like a crew cut version of hair algae but its bright red)

to get the best out of them in terms of eating algaes, I cut down the amount of other foods I put in, making sure the fish get everything and they dont get any decent free meals

Steve

 

He came out and started tearing into the GHA as soon as the lights cut to actinics only... body is around the size of a nickel, roughly 2.5" including the legs. hopefully it works out, he's already a cleaning machine.

 

yep and after he cleans your tank up for you then what?

he'll still be viable because he'll clean detritus up, a skimmer with legs- who could ask for more.

just dont spoil him- (dont feed him ANYTHING)

 

I had 2 for a couple of months, I hadnt seen them in a while, and one day i saw my brittle star cracking one open like a clam on the half shell, i'm assuming the other one had a similar fate... other then that, they were great to have in the tank. They aren't afraid to come out and let you see them. I wish i had known more about the brittle stars before i bought a fifteen $ meal for him...

 

I have never had a problem with my Sally Light Foot. In fact, the little critter quickly became one of my favorite. They have a lot of personally, and as stated before. The crab dance is always fun to watch. Good addition IMO.