Emerald Crab has Copepods all over him...

[ryancw01]

Let me start out by saying that my Emerald Crab is pretty big and gangster. His claws are about an inch long now.
So I was messing around with my sump last night changing around some things and I my Emerald Crab was right up front so I started looking at him up close. He had Copepods swimming all over his body. I couldnt believe it. They were swimming up and down his claws and then on top of his head. He was totally unaffected by them too. Just kept flexing at me everytime I got too close and then would go back to eating when I backed off. I wanted to get a picture, but my wife took our camera to Seattle with her.
So, obviously the copepods use the crab for protection when they are young. They were really small compared to larger copepods that I have seen in my refugium but there must have been at least 40-50 gliding all over him. Has anyone else seen this before?

 

[lion_crazz]

Definitely try to get a picture when your wife comes back. Sounds odd

 

[spanko]

Probably cleaning him of detritus and algae.

 

[ryancw01]

So I tried to take a few pics today of the crab and you can only see the copepods in the first picture on the top of his right claw. The others didnt come out that well and then he got pissed at the camera and pieced out. There are still a ton of them though just cruising all over him.

 

[abeandlulu]

How big is your tank? I have 3 emeral crabs in my tank (265 gallon) and none of them are that size. My cousin has 1 in her (25 gallon) and it is 3 times the size as mine.

 

[ryancw01]

My tank is only 65 gallons. I am pretty sure he has been taking steroids. He can bench about 95 pounds right now, but we are only having him max out once a week until training season comes back around!

Then I am entering him into the National Strong Crab Competition.

 

[king_neptune]

gangster is right. Hes very pretty. Big too.

 

[jstdv8]

Id put him in the NFL. wit claws like that he could play WR for ummmm.... THE LIONS!

 

[the_hadleys]

Ooh, he's so big and tough!

 

[bulldog123]

Put a trigger in there and lets see how "gangster" he really is

I just cant believe you used gangster. Thanks for the early morning laugh.

 

[fretfreak13]

I belive the proper term is "gangsta", homiez. XD

 

[rlablan]

That is just a ale crab. They get that big, It's normal. The females stay pretty small and they have a lighter green color, and have a velvety look to them. The males have BIG orange joints behind their claws, and have this 'plastic' look about them.
I second the opinion that they are eating detritus and film algae off of him. I used to see copepods on my turbo snails all the time.