Help with identifing this crab

zik69

zik69

Member
I purchased this crab today at my lfs. It was marked as a Red Reef Crab and I was told that it's reef safe and wouldn't grow much bigger. It's about 1 1/2 inch right now. Before I put it in my tank, I want to make sure it's ok. Does any one have any experience with these? Is there another name for it?

 
james2042

james2042

Member
Originally Posted by zik69
http:///forum/post/2936571
I purchased this crab today at my lfs. It was marked as a Red Reef Crab and I was told that it's reef safe and wouldn't grow much bigger. It's about 1 1/2 inch right now. Before I put it in my tank, I want to make sure it's ok. Does any one have any experience with these? Is there another name for it?
I had one of those he will be fine mine hid in the sand with only his eyes sticking out they also called mine a red reef
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
To me it almost looks like a female fiddler crab, in which case it should not go in the tank. It is nothing like the "normal" habitat for fiddlers.
I would not put it in the tank, personally.
 
james2042

james2042

Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/2937442
To me it almost looks like a female fiddler crab, in which case it should not go in the tank. It is nothing like the "normal" habitat for fiddlers.
I would not put it in the tank, personally.
Huh ? Fiddler lol
Search burrowing crab
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Fiddler crabs burrow into dens, and live intertidally...which is why they would try and crawl out of the tank.
 
james2042

james2042

Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
http:///forum/post/2937470
Fiddler crabs burrow into dens, and live intertidally...which is why they would try and crawl out of the tank.
Alot of crabs try crawling out my sally light foot makes a good attempt everyday but she aint a fiddler
If i could post a link id show ya this is a burrowing crab and not a fiddler
 
james2042

james2042

Member
Well whatever the crab is i had one he was called a red reef crab/red burrowing crab he never messed with any coral good luck
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
The typical burrowing crab is also an intertidal, estuarine crab. The site that has the picture you show, refers to it being "Uca sp." which is the genus of the fiddler crab. Not that I trust most online sites with such an ID :lol: but I think it is a good one.
So whether people want to keep it or not is fine. I wouldn't. It is not a reef animal. All crabs are a risk, IMO, to some extent (perhaps the exception being the porcellain crabs). I would never put a sally lightfoot crab in a tank either :) But it is all personal preference - whatever people want to do.
I would be interested to know how long people successfully keep this crab in a marine tank.
 
james2042

james2042

Member
I had mine for over a year when he found his way out like i said i had no problem with this crab he his under the sand most of the time if you dont want him send him my way lol
 
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