Porcelain crab questions
 

I would like to get a porcelain crab for my 20g FOWLR.

Does a porcelain crab primarily filter feed? I had read that they also scavenge and eat meaty foods. How frequently would I want to offer plankton if it was just the one crab?

Would they do better in a pair (different sites seem to vary on that)?

Is offering filter feeder fare worthwhile for just 1-2 crabs?

Depends on your tank. I work at an aquarium and we have hitch hiker porceilian crabs everywhere, most in tanks that are not fed any form of planktonic food. They eat whats left over from the food we feed the other animals in the exibits (makeral, shrimp, squid, etc.) so I'm sure they'd be fine just eating what you feed your tank.

Ok thanks that makes it easier.

Is there a way to tell if they aren't getting enough food (aside from death :eek: )?

Do they like to be in pairs or generally hang out singly?

Crabs will eat anything living, when given the chance, including other inverts and fish. So a sign of them not getting enough food would be missing livestock.

Would it be a bother to have one in a nem t ank? I mean if I cut a nem would it harm the nem if it hosts it al lday?

poor advice, porcelain crabs are filter feeders and will not eat fish.

Porcelain crabs are as safe as it gets with crabs. Make sure it's a porcelain anemone crab (Neopetrolisthes genus) you get and not a normal porcelain crab. Other porcelain crabs generally hide most of the time and can be found anywhere in the tank. While porcelain anemone crabs stay on anemones and are out all the time.

I've had mine for 2+ years and never feed it anything special.

Easiest crab ever. No worries on this one. I'll save you one worry, when they molt you'll see its exoskeleton and swear the crab is dead- it isn't.

when I feed my corals i give my porcelains a lil squirt...they love it...they stick there lil fans out and wave them like crazy....some of the easiest crabs to keep

Do the porcelain anemone crabs NEED an anemone or coral to associate with? This is why I was thinking of a just plain porcelain crab, I don't have nor plan to have an anemone. Although I am planning to do easy corals in the future (zoas, hammer, GSP types).

They don't need anemones or corals in my experience. If there are spots on the live rock that allow it to feel safe it will be perfectly alright.

I think the red and white ones sold as anemone crabs might, in fact, need an anemone. The Caribbean porcelains, usually blue or purple, do not.

Hmm, not so sure..my porcelain crab hung out in my BTAs until my female clown evicted him. He has since been living in my GSP and seems no worse for the wear.

They do not require an anemone, although might be happier with one. Mine have been doing fine without the anemone I used to have. One likes to chill in my Zoa colony while the other likes hanging out on the top rock.

so the red and white one's are nem crabs.....good to know and explains a couple things. I bought mine as just a porcalin crab....white with lil red spots. since i put a long tent nem in the tank a couple days ago....crab won't leave it alone

hehe very true. it looks straight up like they died when they molt

i believed that to untill this morning. My big porcaline was holding a small piece of shrimp with his filtering arms....looked like he was holding it munchin away..:wildone:

^ They can be paired with anemones which is awesome.

great crabs to have, entertaining to watch them fan, and they are low maintenance. i initially bought 4, and they started breeding, so now i have 7-10 at any given time.

Crabs can't reproduce in our tanks. The eggs would never mature.