crab ID

[jbeck]

Turns out what i thought was a starfish was a crab either eating a small starfish or a worm or something. Anyway i caught him tonight, may be others. I assume he is bad cause he has really sharp claws. This one lost a claw in battle (with me). Are these bad, good???

 

[swilbs83]

I hope they are good because I saw a really small similar looking crab dart into my rockwork when I flashed on the lights the other night.....thing's been in my tank for 2 years and has eluded me....hasn't eaten any of my fish yet though

 

[jbeck]

anyone know anything about these?

 

[justinx]

looks like an emerald crab to me. Fine for a reef tank, great scavengers. (and yes they do come in brown)

 

[hhands361]

Not an emerald. Ive never seen anything like that before but it looks like it has a bad attitude!

 

[fishman88]

i am not a crab expert but that is not a emraled i think it is a "hairy crab" (i think) and they are bad they will eat your fish.
mike

 

[peterphunk]

The crab can't be a bad thing unless you actually have something else in the tank other than LR. If I were you keep it and see if it actually is hurting any of the other organisms that came on the live rock. If it does than take it to your LFS otherwise you have an added bonus that came with your LR.
Just because it looks bad doesn't mean it is. Thats the great thing about this hobby.

 

[hhands361]

i say get rid of it

 

[mr_bubbles]

Take it to your LFS. No reason to risk the rest of your tank.

 

[twicklund]

Are the tips of his claws black...I just pulled one out of my tank that looks a lot like yours but with black tip claws...I have been watching him for a couple weeks...Finally had a chance to get him out safely.

 

[dindi]

It looks like a porcelaine crab to me, they have big claws but they are really filter feeders and don't use their claws unless fighting, did it have little brushy arms waving about in front of it's face? If so you have great crabs. porceline (sp?) crabs, I have 2. Cool little guys

 

[reefdiver56]

I have three emeralds, doesn't look like any of mine.

 

[jbeck]

Yea i am pretty sure he is a "hairy" rock crab. He has been removed.

 

[slothy]

Originally posted by Dindi
It looks like a porcelaine crab to me, they have big claws but they are really filter feeders and don't use their claws unless fighting, did it have little brushy arms waving about in front of it's face? If so you have great crabs. porceline (sp?) crabs, I have 2. Cool little guys
this is a porcelin crab