About Decorator Crabs...

[AuntKaren]

I was at the LFS a few weeks ago and was getting a zoo frag. The LFS guy was reaching in to get my selection and just as I was pointing to a nice sized group it walked away! It was the craziest crab I'd ever seen and I was dying to get it! (No, I hadn't researched decorator crabs so I was a good girl and didn't have it put into a travel bag.) Has anyone had any experience with decorator crabs? I hear that they are docile and don't harm corals. I wonder how large they get, what they eat, how long they live etc.:scratch: :fish?:

Any opinions?

[lReef lKeeper]

decorator crabs are NOT reef safe. i had one for about 2 days and took it back. they WILL pinch off pieces of corals and anemonies and use them to camoflage itself with the reef. they clip off a piece or two and stick it to thier bodies and you hardly ever see them until it is time to re camoflage, then it is another coral that gets chopped up. they look very cool, but are more for a FOWLR tank. hope this helps in your decision.

[AuntKaren]

Thanks Bobby! I will keep this info in mind when making my decision. Lordy I loved that silly crab tho! I really don't have enough corals or zoos in my tank right now to support having even a few clipped off........sigh!

[lReef lKeeper]

you could always keep it in its own tank. thats what i would have done if i had all these tanks up back then.

[davejnz]

True,they might pick off polyps but so what.They're only gonna pick off a few of them to place on theie shells.I have no experience with them,but just because crabs pick at corals IME isn't always a bad thing,often they're picking off dieng tissue/bits of algae/food.

[jerryc]

I had one for some time and don't have a problem with it Thea keep the same polyps for a long time just adding to them as needed.
as for as feeding i don't Thea are scavengers and feed on wast from the
fish and coral food.

[lReef lKeeper]

i would agree with you guys, but IME with the crab .... the damage was to great for me to ever suggest getting one to anyone. the destruction of the polyps and other corals, while trying to camoflage itself was not worth the risk. although it was not intentionally done by the crab, he tore more coral up than was placed on his body.