Views on porcelain anemone crabs?

Irishdolphin · 05/10/2017, 12:51 PM

Hi

I bought a malu a couple of weeks ago and it came with a porcelain anemone crab. Anybody have any positive / negative experiences with same? LFS is currently selling these crabs and I'm thinking of adding a second one. I have approx 15 BTAs in tank so suitable host shouldn't be a problem if it is advisable to keep the crabs separate.

Thanks

Evolve29 · 05/10/2017, 02:42 PM

I have two but not that many anemones compared to yours.
3 flowers anemone, one purple LT hosted by a clown. From my own observations. Clowns will push out the crabs again territory might be depends on size of anemone.
As far as two crabs goes. Mine tend to anemone hop from one flower to another as I put it. The larger ones pushes the other out so I would imagine there is a territory boundary these crabs occupied. They don't share the anemone together but the anemones aren't big enough to share anyways. Just my personal observations.
I would imagine with 15 BT adding another crab won't have much of a dispute if any.

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Irishdolphin · 05/11/2017, 11:10 AM

@Evolve29, thanks, appreciate the response. I reckon I'll go ahead and buy another.

Evolve29 · 05/11/2017, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irishdolphin

@Evolve29, thanks, appreciate the response. I reckon I'll go ahead and buy another.

From what I read the spots pattern on the crabs also may play a role whether they pair up since while anemone crabs they are different kinds. But again you got so many bubble anemones, I doubt getting another one would pose any issues.
Post some pics!

I got my two anemone crabs as said. One anemone hops across the tank to where it likes one day to another as to where another doesn't even go into the anemone. Just chills on the rocks.
My tiger pistol shrimp leaves them alone so there isn't any potential predators in the tank even molding. They are awesome animals I love watching them. Here is mine. IMG_5463.jpg

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Irishdolphin · 05/11/2017, 01:18 PM

Here is a photo from late last year. I'm going to take some of the nems out and sell to LFS (hopefully tomorrow). The nems keep splitting over time so I reckon I will have a pretty steady supply. The hard part will be actually removing them so will probably remove a rock with 3 or 4 nems on it and bring rock to LFS

Yep, love looking at the crab - he is in the malu and his biggest excitement each day is defending against fire shrimps that are trying to grab food from the nem - you can tell when he nips one of them - they really jump back suddenly!

pfan151 · 05/11/2017, 01:25 PM

I had two with 2 gigantea's and a Magnifica to choose from. The bigger crab killed the smaller one. I didn't check if they were both males though so you may have better luck if you get a male and female crab.

Irishdolphin · 05/11/2017, 02:58 PM

@pfan151 - interesting. I just read an old thread on same topic. I wasn't aware that female vs male would be relevant. My first thought was that even if they're both male they might coexist in ignorance of each other's existence due to number of nems, but that rules out possibility of pairing. Fingers crossed so!

taylor t · 05/13/2017, 08:35 AM

I once had 2 of those crabs in a 75 with 7 gigs. I don't know what happened, but I only see 1 crab now. There could be 2 in there somewhere but I never see 2 at the same time anymore. They seem to live pretty long, had them(2)/or now it(1), for a few years now.

Irishdolphin · 05/22/2017, 12:23 PM

Thanks taylor t

I bought 2 additional crabs today so fingers crossed they can get along or stay away from each other.....

OrionN · 05/23/2017, 11:53 AM

I have multiple crabs in my tank. I have 2 that live in a Gigantea. I think they are a pair. I have three more that on different anemones. They have multiple anemones to choose from, either Magnifica, Gigantea or Haddoni. The mostly stay on the same anemone, but not always. I got a Harlequin Tusk in my tank, so these crabs stay close to their anemone. In my office tank, I have one in my Gigantea, he have been with this anemone for many years. This one Porcerain crab is abnormal in that one of his claw is completely white. The other claw have normal coloration.

Irishdolphin · 05/24/2017, 05:38 AM

Cheers Minh,

Encouraging to hear a success story with multiple crabs. Hmmm, now thinking about getting some more but will relax and see how numbers 2 and 3 get on first. One of them has definitely established himself in a BTA but other one is harder to locate

05/10/2017, 12:51 PM	#1
Irishdolphin Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 331	Views on porcelain anemone crabs? Hi I bought a malu a couple of weeks ago and it came with a porcelain anemone crab. Anybody have any positive / negative experiences with same? LFS is currently selling these crabs and I'm thinking of adding a second one. I have approx 15 BTAs in tank so suitable host shouldn't be a problem if it is advisable to keep the crabs separate. Thanks

05/23/2017, 11:53 AM	#10
OrionN Moved on Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Coastal Texas Posts: 16,000	I have multiple crabs in my tank. I have 2 that live in a Gigantea. I think they are a pair. I have three more that on different anemones. They have multiple anemones to choose from, either Magnifica, Gigantea or Haddoni. The mostly stay on the same anemone, but not always. I got a Harlequin Tusk in my tank, so these crabs stay close to their anemone. In my office tank, I have one in my Gigantea, he have been with this anemone for many years. This one Porcerain crab is abnormal in that one of his claw is completely white. The other claw have normal coloration. __________________ Minh My homepage is my album here at Reef Central Current Tank Info: Reboot 320 anemones reef. Angels: Yellow Chest Regal(2), Flame (2). Copperband But. Tangs: Yellow, Purple. Wrasse: about 20 wrasses various species. Anemones: Giantea X4 (Breen, Blue, Purple and Multicolors), Haddoni X1 Red, Magnifica X1 Purpletip

05/10/2017, 02:42 PM	#2
Evolve29 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 33	I have two but not that many anemones compared to yours. 3 flowers anemone, one purple LT hosted by a clown. From my own observations. Clowns will push out the crabs again territory might be depends on size of anemone. As far as two crabs goes. Mine tend to anemone hop from one flower to another as I put it. The larger ones pushes the other out so I would imagine there is a territory boundary these crabs occupied. They don't share the anemone together but the anemones aren't big enough to share anyways. Just my personal observations. I would imagine with 15 BT adding another crab won't have much of a dispute if any. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

05/11/2017, 11:10 AM	#3
Irishdolphin Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 331	@Evolve29, thanks, appreciate the response. I reckon I'll go ahead and buy another.

05/11/2017, 01:25 PM	#6
pfan151 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: FL Posts: 1,897	I had two with 2 gigantea's and a Magnifica to choose from. The bigger crab killed the smaller one. I didn't check if they were both males though so you may have better luck if you get a male and female crab.

05/11/2017, 02:58 PM	#7
Irishdolphin Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 331	@pfan151 - interesting. I just read an old thread on same topic. I wasn't aware that female vs male would be relevant. My first thought was that even if they're both male they might coexist in ignorance of each other's existence due to number of nems, but that rules out possibility of pairing. Fingers crossed so!

05/13/2017, 08:35 AM	#8
taylor t Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Naperville, Il Posts: 2,396	I once had 2 of those crabs in a 75 with 7 gigs. I don't know what happened, but I only see 1 crab now. There could be 2 in there somewhere but I never see 2 at the same time anymore. They seem to live pretty long, had them(2)/or now it(1), for a few years now.

05/22/2017, 12:23 PM	#9
Irishdolphin Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 331	Thanks taylor t I bought 2 additional crabs today so fingers crossed they can get along or stay away from each other.....

05/24/2017, 05:38 AM	#11
Irishdolphin Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Dublin, Ireland Posts: 331	Cheers Minh, Encouraging to hear a success story with multiple crabs. Hmmm, now thinking about getting some more but will relax and see how numbers 2 and 3 get on first. One of them has definitely established himself in a BTA but other one is harder to locate