So, last night I finally found the culprit...my junior Emerald Crab! I recently picked up a nano sized gorgeous purple wall hammer from Gonzo and prior to that a Long Tentacle Plate Coral from Elite Reef....well needless to say they both were the most expensive pieces in my tank. The plate just was never happy...but the DAMN Emerald Crab made it even unhappier! It seems that if anything in the tank shows a little weakness then the Emerald would start picking at it....he basically picked the plate to death! Mind you I've never had a coral die like that so I know it was him!
Next my favorite coral in the tank - Purple Wall Hammer. So it shares its space with a frogspawn and torch in the front of the tank....the same place where my Emerald loves to hang out...actually I see him hanging upside down on either Euphyllia every day! Suddenly, the Wall Hammer looked as if it was missing a bit of flesh....now param's are solid and the other two Euphyllia next to it are thriving soooo wth! Last night with a flashlight I caught the little f@#$@# pulling more flesh off the hammer...eating some spitting some out. FURIOUS!!! I understand they are crabs and its in their nature to scavenge....but this little jerk never left my LPS alone!
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I feed the tank, I gave Emerald Nori sheets and he loved them but clearly he's just a jerk! So off the LFS he goes....he's nearly cost me $125! If I didnt care so much about these critters I'd throw him in a snow pile for eating my fav coral! I'm hoping I can dip the hammer and save it...its half of what it was but the other half looks great still!
Anyone else caught their Emerald tearing flesh off their LPS?
If someone wants him come pick him up in the next hour or two otherwise I'm taking him to Elite.
Clearly not reef safe but for a FOWLR he'd be cool....I still love these crabs!
Next my favorite coral in the tank - Purple Wall Hammer. So it shares its space with a frogspawn and torch in the front of the tank....the same place where my Emerald loves to hang out...actually I see him hanging upside down on either Euphyllia every day! Suddenly, the Wall Hammer looked as if it was missing a bit of flesh....now param's are solid and the other two Euphyllia next to it are thriving soooo wth! Last night with a flashlight I caught the little f@#$@# pulling more flesh off the hammer...eating some spitting some out. FURIOUS!!! I understand they are crabs and its in their nature to scavenge....but this little jerk never left my LPS alone!
View attachment 5105 View attachment 5106 View attachment 5107 View attachment 5108
I feed the tank, I gave Emerald Nori sheets and he loved them but clearly he's just a jerk! So off the LFS he goes....he's nearly cost me $125! If I didnt care so much about these critters I'd throw him in a snow pile for eating my fav coral! I'm hoping I can dip the hammer and save it...its half of what it was but the other half looks great still!
Anyone else caught their Emerald tearing flesh off their LPS?
If someone wants him come pick him up in the next hour or two otherwise I'm taking him to Elite.
Clearly not reef safe but for a FOWLR he'd be cool....I still love these crabs!