Invertebrates which are "NOT" Reef Safe

R

reefanatic

Registered Member
Jan 21, 2005
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Please list all invertebrates which are "NOT" deemed as safe to be in a reef system. Provide an explanation why and your "personal" experience.....


Don't know about the rest of you, but I HAD an emerald crab that killed, and ate, 2 condy anemones, all my xenia, and was munching on an open brain before I got rid of him.
 
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Im suprised about the Peppermint shrimp. Camel shrimps (that often get sold as peppermints around here) are notorious for coral munching
 
Emerald Crabs !

i have had numerous emerald crabs, the one i have now is an awesome little guy doesnt mess with nothing and does his job all day and nite, one of the previous emeralds i had did eat a few anenomes but they were slowly dying at the time anyway so i dont think he had anything to do with their demise other then giving them a quicker death critters can sense another that is dying and eat it due to vulnerablility.
 
I think this exchange illustrates that there are some species that are on the borderline. I have not had a problem with mithraculus crabs, but I have seen some nice videos of them eating zoanthids. Peppermist shrimp are similar. Some are well-behaved, and I have owned some that were voracious demons. And they were definitely not camel shrimp.
 
Also some brittle starfish. I have one and noticed a big decline in my hermit crab population. I found out just the other day that some people who have them said that the brittle eats them at night when it comes out to feed, and some of my crabs looked like they had been half eaten (even my scarlets). Neat to watch but I think hes going to have to go in a separate tank.
 
Once more--it depends. I've had a sally light foot in my reef for 4 years with no problems.
 
I have had horrible luck with Large hermits eating all fish they can catch.(finally took them back to LPS) He replaced them with snails and a large chestnut cowry. I have had no problems with the Cowry. The other murdering tenants I have (and need to get shed of) are Chocolate Chip Stars, they have destroyed anemonies, small gionopora,shrooms. I hate them with a passion, but my children love them. So I guess nano is in order.
 
Let's not forget decorator crabs - I had a fish store employee tell me they were reef-safe once, but you can tell they aren't... Unless you want something to redecorate your tank for you!
 
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