Sally Lightfoot Crab

I got myself a Sally Lightfoot Crab to get rid of some algae. They told me they are peaceful and won't harm my fish. But now I read they might attack small inverts and small fish and I'm a little worried about my cute goby...

Does anybody have any experience with them?

 

No personal experience but a friend of mine recently removed one because it had gotten too large and, as a result, too aggressive towards his fish. If the crab is still small, it shouldn't cause you any problems but keep an eye on it.

 

well, it will be a big hassle to get that thing out again ...

 

and the question is, what is small?

it's far bigger than the fish. But seams to be peaceful

 

Sally Lightfoot Crabs can be fairly easy to catch. Hopefully, I didn't just jinx you by saying that

I consider any crab with a carapace of 1" or less to be small

 

carapace? what's that? (sorry, i don't wanna sound stupid, just don't understand what that is)

 

The carapace is the crab's body...or what you'd have left if you were to remove all of the crab's legs  

 

I have one that is small, about 1 inch. So far it has not bothered any of my fish or my shrimp. I have seen the crab jump for food. This leads me to believe that if it was to get any bigger it would do the same to fish. I hope I am wrong because they are so cool.


Steve [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

 

Nope, you're not wrong Steve. Claws are part of the hunting tools for those critters that have them.

 

Yah, Craigs right, them suckers, if given the chance, will kill a fish in a heart beat. Same with large mithrax (emerald crabs). Seen both do it, but mainly with sallys. Sallys are quick buggers, have fun