Real bubble algae eating emerald crabs

C

chrisrush

Premium Member
So my bubble algae has gotten a little out of control and I've started to siphon it manually and hopefully with the help of a few little green crabs, I can get it under control. I bought 3 emerald crabs from Fish Gallery and they haven't done much. I wonder if anyone knows any place locally that has real bubble algae emeral crabs.
 
At that same store that has aiptasia eating peppermint shrimp? And cyano eating turbo sp snails? *grin*

Seriously, though, I had some bubble algae that my emerald didn't touch until he'd done away with ever other kind of algae in the tank.
 
Generally the emeralds will only take care of the tiny BA. If you can get everything that you can see siphoned out they might be able to do some good for you.
 
Thanks Steve and Scott. I have been trying to get the bigger bubbles lately, but I'm starting to notice it on my reef ceramics. I guess I can try and manually remove the rocks and scrub the rocks clean. Should I dunk/swish the rocks in clean SW after I scrub them?
 
How are you removing them now, siphon only? This has been my answer to BA removal:

http://www.kvvet.com/KVVet/productr.asp?pf_id=80350&RefCode=Froogle&URLCheck=1
 
Yea, I've been sucking them up in a 1/2" OD vinyl tube into a filter sock in my sump. This seems to be a very quick and easy way to get a large portion of them on the overflows. I have 3 large rocks that I need to remove and scrub, but I've got sps and bta's growing on them. The sps can handle being out of the water, but I'm not sure about the bta's.
 
my emerald ate them, but like you guys said they wont' touch the bigger ones. they didnt' even touch the smaller one for a while, I guess they got hungry and started munching. when they start eating them though, they go fast. I guess I got lucky.
 
If you can get to them, I would suggest letting them get big enough for you to grab them with your hand very gentlely and twisting them off the rock. I have had good success with that method.

If i remember right, there was a myth that if they bust in the tank....then they would release new spores to come up some where else.
 
I got an emerald crab from The Fish Gallery on Monday for the same reason.

Today I saw it eat a chunk of BA and then scuttle off into his barnacle hole. At least he ate some :)
 
i was just thinking, emerald crabs rip the bubbles aparts releasing the spores, whats the big help in that? I can pop them myself!!! :roll:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top