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Little Shop of Coral

Pom Pom Crab (Lybia tessellata)

Pom Pom Crab (Lybia tessellata)

$40.00 CAD
$40.00 CAD
Sale Sold out
Size

The Pom Pom Crab is one of the coolest and most unique reef inverts you can add. Tiny, cryptic, and full of character, it is famous for carrying a pair of small anemones in its claws like pom poms. It uses them for defense and to help grab food, which makes for an incredible display if you spot it out in the open. This crab is reef safe and generally peaceful, but it is mostly nocturnal and likes to stay tucked into rockwork.

Why we love it

  • Carries anemones like pom poms, one of the most unique behaviours in reefing

  • Small, reef safe, and great for nano reefs

  • Fun to watch when it comes out to feed

  • Does not bother corals in most setups

Care and Compatibility

Care Level: Easy to Moderate
Temperament: Peaceful
Reef Safe: Yes
Diet: Omnivore (scavenger)
Adult Size: ~1"
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons recommended

Ideal Parameters

  • Temperature: 24 to 26 C (75 to 79 F)

  • Salinity: 1.024 to 1.026

  • Stable alkalinity, calcium, and magnesium support overall invert health

Feeding

Pom Pom Crabs scavenge and will grab food with their anemones.

  • Leftover fish food and frozen food scraps

  • Small sinking pellets for inverts

  • Tiny meaty foods like mysis or finely chopped seafood
    Target feeding after lights dim often works best since they are more active at night.

Tank and Setup Notes

  • Provide lots of rockwork, caves, and crevices, they prefer to hide

  • Peaceful tank mates are important since it is small and easily bullied

  • Avoid aggressive crabs and large wrasses that may hunt small crustaceans

  • Stable salinity is key, inverts do not handle swings well

Compatibility Tips

  • Safe with corals and most reef-safe inverts

  • Can be at risk from predators like triggers, hawkfish, larger wrasses, and puffers

  • Works well in nano reefs with peaceful fish and a calm feeding environment

  • If it feels threatened, it may stay hidden most of the time

Acclimation and Health

Drip acclimation is recommended. Introduce gently into rockwork so it can find a hiding spot quickly. It is usually hardy once settled, but it may take time before you see it regularly.

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LIGHT

LOW: Place coral at the bottom of the tank. Depending on the type, coral may need to be placed off sand and therefore mounted on a ceramic disc of piece of rock.

MEDIUM: Place coral at mid-range of the tank. Best placed/glued on top of a rock scape at mid-range height. 

HIGH: Place coral from mid range to just below water level. SPS coral are shallow growing so they require and are able to tolerate intense light.

FLOW

LOW: Most soft coral do well with a small, gentle pulse. There are certain corals that can even be placed in areas of indirect flow, meaning places aside a rock structure or set into a entrance to a cave style space.

MEDIUM: Many LPS types of coral prefer medium pulse current. Most Euphyllia or corals that have more tissue structure connected to their skeleton, don’t like to be in a high flow area like the direct flow of the wave pump.

HIGH: Similar to high light, SPS enjoy being in some heavy current. Most LPS and SPS that branch encrust or plate prefer high flow that simulates the top water waves.

SKILL

ENTRY: While some may say beginner level, "Entry" is a good term to be used when starting out in the world of corals and marine life. Prior to adding livestock, you want to ensure that your reef has the proper parameters including zero levels of ammonia and nitrite. Seeing traces of nitrate in your waters is a good sign - just keep them at a lower level of 2ppm to 10ppm. Maintaining correct temperature and salinity are a huge factor to stable parameters. Starting to monitor your PH, alkalinity, calcium and magnesium is a great habit to get into to keep a successful reef.

While some soft coral don’t require too much light, having a proper reef light that puts out the proper pars is very important. You'll also want to have a good amount of flow and protected rock areas, as placing corals in their happy spot is ideal for success.

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