emerald vs. porcelain

[Dragonwolf]

I have 4 big (really big) emerald crabs in my 125. [ I have zero bubble algae] Two weeks ago my wife bought a med. sized porcelain crap (quite cute ya know). The LFS said they would be fine together. Well, anyway we haven't seen the porcelain since we put him in the tank. On the bright side I haven't seen any "parts" of him either. Did I just give my emeralds a $25.00 meal ticket??

[JustDavidP]

Naaah.. Porcelain crabs are pretty good at the duck and hide game I had one as a hitch hiker for months before I realized. He/she is probably in there, in some nook or cranny, just waiting for the lights to go down. Their carapace is really thin, enabling them to hide in the smallest cracks in rock, or under rocks. They aren't generally in the open during your light phase.

I'll bet that if you feed the tank some cyclopeeze, or other kind of smallish, plankton food, and watch the currents in your tank, you'll find it. They tend to hang out in a strategic location, in the currents, waiting for foodstuffs to float by. They use their little fisherman's nets to sieve the water for these small particles. Some times, you won't even see the crab, but it's little nets "satae" (feather like structures near the oral cavity) will be waving in the water column. They will take meatier foods, but typically scavenge like this only in dark.

You are right, if you had a problem, you'd see "body parts". They are very fragile and will often lose a leg or claw in battles, or if stuck in the rock. Hence their name "Porcelian".

Dave

[Dragonwolf]

Thanks David...good news is always welcome. we'll keep an eye out for the little bugger.

[NanoRyan89]

Lol, when i bought my porcelin crab, the lfs guy told me "This crab doesnt like to sit in the dark, so you'll see him all the time".........MY CRAB HAS NEVER CAME OUT IN THE LIGHT!....anyway, what im trying to say is, your crab is fine. And im almost positive emerald crabs are only scavengers. They dont catch and kill there own food. If you look at there claws, they look more like clamps instead of stabbers. lol