ID Crab is he reef safe??

[litlepig11]

just saw this little bugger in the tank, dont know what he his. got this as sorta a rescuse tank and havent done to much w/it yet. the 2 fish i did add a pair of clowns went MIA. the crab seems to live in this rock and brings things in to block the hole up, thats what hes doing in the photo. i also put 2 corals on/near this rock pink xenia, before i know of him, and they are gone. i havent added any rock to the tank but it could be a hitchhicker from the orginal owner. let me know what you think. can he stay or should i pull him. :happyfish
err

photo wont post

i'll be back

 

[ukcats]

Describe him. Is he hairy? Color? What shape are his claws? Pointed? Dull? There are a million different kinds but if you post these things then someone on here will be able to ID him...
I have a Gorilla Crab that I got with a piece of LR. When I got him he was smaller than a dime...now he's about the size of a silver dollar. He's awesome to look at but he definitely will eat any snail or crab in the tank. I keep him in my fuge where he can't hurt anything. I really don't know what he eats in there besides pods? lol

 

[litlepig11]

okay heres the photo i think it descripes him ***)

 

[ukcats]

Hmmm...dunno....
I'm sure there will be someone who knows what the heck it is. Has there been many things disappearing? Is there another explanation for the disappearances? If not I'd get him out of there.

 

[litlepig11]

no all water prams are were should be. i have lost my corals off "his" rock. the fish just died after about 2 weeks of doing well, no bodys or nothing. hopeful we get someone who knows for sure. i have 2 other crabs that i dont know what are but this is the guy i see moving stuff in the tank around so hes the one im worried about

 

[nigerbang]

holy crap its The Predator again....someone had a pic of one of those about a month ago..

 

[ginarox]

i am no expert , but from what i have read from different threads on here,,,i would get him out as soon as possible,, he looks mean....good luck ,,,keep us posted ,,,have a good day.

 

[dogstar]

Red-eyed rock crab, Eriphia sebana. Nocturnal, carnivorous, mostly small fish and crustation, carapace up to 3''

 

[fishgeek01]

Originally Posted by Dogstar
Red-eyed rock crab, Eriphia sebana. Nocturnal, carnivorous, mostly small fish and crustation, carapace up to 3''
thats what i thought as well

 

[litlepig11]

Originally Posted by Dogstar
Red-eyed rock crab, Eriphia sebana. Nocturnal, carnivorous, mostly small fish and crustation, carapace up to 3''

Hey DOGSTAR should i take him out, and also what is carapace? funny you say hes nocturnal i see him during the day but i have cut down on my mh run time so the tank is darker... hmm just let me know if he should go, and then what do i do with him
thanks

 

[litlepig11]

Red-eyed rock crab (Eriphia sebana)
This aggressive and nocturnal crab has an oval-shaped carapace covered with tubercles (round swelling on skin). The frontal margin has six or more spines. The pincers are unequal and covered with very tiny granules.
he dosent have any spines but...
i found this info, so i think hes going, that and the growing pile of shells around "his" rock. i thought he was just moveing them there but now

so i wonder what the best way to remove him would be, and why i just started haveing a problem, when hes obvs been in there the whole time. if i just pull out his rock will i be abel to flush him out that way?
any ideas

 

[ovrmyhdagn]

I had this exact same crab in my display.
I put out an algea sheet for my fish and he came out rolled it up and disappeared with it.
I set-up my sump with a fuge put another algea sheet, he wasn't very smart, came out I captured him, off to the fuge he went.
Mean looking crab, I didn't want to chance him killing anything off.

 

[lbaskball]

I found a crab that looks like that too recently, except the body looked more red. Do that crab or the crab imtalking about, do they eat corals? Do these crabs found with sun corals because if you look at the pic, it looks like his holding a dead skeleton from a sun coral. I found that crab that looks like that in the same rock as my sun coral , hiding inside the suncoral.

 

[arandacole]

That looks just like the one I had... nasty lil' fellow.
I'd get him out.
I put a piece of shrimp in a jar and propped it up against the rock he hid in and within about an hour he was trapped.
Good Luck.
Love,
A

 

[litlepig11]

thanks for all the help :joy: the id on the crab was right on, i figured how to catch him, and got him in the jar, dispite my fishes attepment to get the bait outa the jar. :jumping: a big fish store here was willing to take him in, and hes happy in a display w/a shark. and all is safe on the reef :happyfish ***) for now...

 

[fishieness]

glad you got him out! ive found 2-3 gorilla crabs in my reef within a week of eachother. i put them in my semi agressive figuring either they will be a good clean up crew, or my valentini would wear his teeth down

BTW: the caraspace is the main shell part. It is the crustacean version of our body cavity.