Not all invertebrates are "reef safe". Many of them will tear up corals, consume fish and otherwise destroy other tank inhabitants. The invertebrates listed below are some (by all means not all) generally considered by experienced reef tank keepers to be safe for reef tanks. Keep in mind that nothing is "foolproof" when it comes to live animals. There are renegades in any species, so if your new tank critter doesn't work out, remove it before it can do serious damage.
Links to each species are included for profiles, information, facts, photos and pictures.
1. Crabs
Photo by Jason Hendrix
- Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus)
- Porcelain Anemone Crab (Neopetrolisthes ohshimai)
- Emerald Crab (Mithrax sculptus)
- Sally Lightfoot Crab (Percnon planissimum)
2. Hermit Crabs
Photo by Todd Gunderson
- Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crab (Clibanarius tricolor)
- Dwarf Red Tip Hermit Crab (Clibanarius sp.)
- Dwarf Yellow Tip Hermit Crab (Clibanarius sp.)
- Dwarf Zebra Hermit Crab (Calcinus laevimanus)
- Electric Blue Hermit Crab (Calcinus elegans)
- Electric Orange Hermit Crab (Calcinus sp.)
- Halloween Hermit Crab (Ciliopagurus strigatus)
- Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab (Paguristes cadenati)
3. Shrimp
Photo by Keoki Stender
- Coral Banded Shrimp (Stenopus hispidus)
- Harlequin Shrimp (Hymenocera picta or elegans)
- Pacific Cleaner Shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis
- Pedersons Anemone Shrimp (Periclimenes pedersoni)
- Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni)
4. Snails
Photo by Keoki Stender
- Cerith Snail (Cerithium atratum)
- Nassarius Snail (Nassarius sp.)
- Nerite Snail (Nerita sp.)
- Pipipi Snail (Nerita picea)
- Star Snail (Cerithium sp.)
- Turbo Snail (Astrea)
