sponge crab

[srfnsport]

I have a wc sponge crab from the gulf that has been in my tank for a few weeks. I kept it because it was beautiful and the sponge that it lives in will offer water cleaning advantages also. Plus it houses several porcelain crabs on its back as well. But after about a week his sponge dissolved!! Its cool to see the porcelain crabs now, but is this bad for it? I also read that they were reef safe, but he MUNCHED several mushrooms so I moved him to the refugium. I feed him small pieces of shrimp. Is anyone interested? I think the part of my refugium he's living in is too small for me to keep him.

[Amphiprion]

Decorator and sponge crabs are almost never reef safe, unfortunately. The crab would do best to have cover of some sort, but it isn't absolutely crucial. It can stress them a good deal without some sort of camouflage, though. Besides, if you have sponge and corals, it will make short work of them and potentially use those for cover .