let's talk emerald crabs for a sec

[reef tank 2.0]

I bought an emerald crab for my tank back in August of this year. About a month after I found a "dead crab" on the sand bed. It was perfectly green and pinchers and all were in place. The whole body was there, including the eyes, which led me to believe the crab died. I only saw him a few times in the month or so leading up to that skeleton on the sand bed. I tried to feed him a small piece of shrimp each time I saw him, just to make sure he wasn't being starved.

once I scooped out that skeleton, I tossed it away and never thought much about it after that. I should have broke it open to see if there was any meat inside but I didn't think about that.

Over the past week or so, I noticed my toadstool polyps are starting to disappear, right on the top. the sides are nice and healthy. I did a quick search on here and it looks like others have had the same problem and fingers were being pointed at the emerald crab.

After reading that, I am now starting to wonder if this crab is still alive and what I saw was the molted Skeleton. that would be great if he was still alive, BUT, now it raises another concern about him eating the toadstool.

My tank is not that large and it's not like I can lose certain critters that I have. I see my blue leg hermits, red hermits, and assorted snails doing there thing at all times of the day. even when the lights are on. I wouldn't think the emerald would be hiding. I'd assume he would always be on clean up duty. I don't have a way of catching him in the act if he is in fact alive. My lights come on at 2:30pm and go off at 10:30pm. morning hours up to 2:00 or so, I have never noticed him. not sure how long after 10:30pm it would take for him to come out, but I never thought to look for him until now.

I have a Molly miller blenny, 2 clowns, Banggai cardinal, 2 firefish, red fairy wrasse, and 3 chromis. I cant imagine any of these guys would be eating the polyps of the toadstool. I have never seen a hermit crab on it either. other than walking across it to get to his destination. Never eating it. if it's not the emerald, cause he's could be dead, would any of these other critters be eating the toadstool? I also have a red serpent sea star but I usually see him in his hiding spot. he's always there. but he gets spot fed each night, so I know he's not starving.

any ideas?

here's a photo of the toadstool. I have a flash light shining on him but you can definitely see the affected polyps.

 

[Knucker]

Very possible it's still alive and eating coral. After you feed the fish look for anything else moving. Best trick I know is when you find it use a piece of shrimp in some tweezers. Make sure it grabs the tweezers and stick that little mean guy in the sump.

 

[BristleWormHater]

They do love long polyps like that, toadstools, gonis, euphyllia.

 

[Knucker]

They do love long polyps like that, toadstools, gonis, euphyllia.

Clove Polyp, mine looked like a lawnmower hit them.

 

[ZoWhat]

 

[reef tank 2.0]

For those of you that sick the emeralds in the sump. Do you ever feed them or do you let them fend for themselves and hope they survive? I have an open stock tank sump. With a decent amount of rock

 

[Knucker]

For those of you that sick the emeralds in the sump. Do you ever feed them or do you let them fend for themselves and hope they survive? I have an open stock tank sump. With a decent amount of rock

You can add some food occasionally, but they will most likely eat any pods, and algae in your sump.

 

[reef tank 2.0]

i certainly can't find this emerald crab anywhere. i see no movement when feeding, during the day, before/after lights out, nothing. its not possible that the hermits could be chomping on it, is there?

 

[BristleWormHater]

i certainly can't find this emerald crab anywhere. i see no movement when feeding, during the day, before/after lights out, nothing. its not possible that the hermits could be chomping on it, is there?

Unless it's dying I don't think so

 

[littlefoxx]

i certainly can't find this emerald crab anywhere. i see no movement when feeding, during the day, before/after lights out, nothing. its not possible that the hermits could be chomping on it, is there?

If this helps I have 3 in my biocube. I see them once in a while but usually just find what look like molts and just toss em and move on. But Im pretty sure they are there, my rockwork is very dense though