Just discovered a crab hitchhiker..

[eye.guy]

Need a link for crabs so I can identify if possible. About 1 -1.5 inches long blends in with branching LR and is some what hairy. Shaped like a small scallop and has black pinchers. Anyone have a photo resources. So I can ID he is too far hidden to photograph ATM and has remained invisible to me for 5-6 weeks

 

[eye.guy]

Anyone able to ID this guy?

 

[kimc]

Sharp pinchers = not reef safe.... (please correct me if I'm wrong!!)

 

[texasmetal]

Gorilla Crab?

 

[kimc]

I don't think so... Gorilla Crabs are hairy

 

[texasmetal]

Originally Posted by eye.guy
Need a link for crabs so I can identify if possible. About 1 -1.5 inches long blends in with branching LR and is some what hairy. Shaped like a small scallop and has black pinchers. Anyone have a photo resources. So I can ID he is too far hidden to photograph ATM and has remained invisible to me for 5-6 weeks

 

[zsalinas]

Possibly a rock crab? I'm not 100% sure. I do know if it is a rock crab you should probably get it out of there cause it will kill fish if given the chance.

 

[sebae09]

if you look closely that one is hairy.

 

[kogle]

The general rule is sharp pinchers= No good
I'd remove it if you're unsure.

 

[bojik]

Looks like a mythix to me...

when in doiubt fuge it. :notsure:

 

[nigerbang]

wow.....not to thread...thats a nice deer...sorry just had to say it...

 

[reefiness]

ya it looks to me like a gorilla and i found this on a website...
Animals to May Want to Remove

GORILLA CRABS
You want to keep a lookout for Gorilla crabs (xanthid species). These pesky buggers are predators that can cause damage to your reef, eating anemones, clams, and anything else they can get their claws around. They might look cute when they're small, but it's just not worth putting them into the tank. If you really want to keep them, you could put them into your sump/fuge (if you have one).
The sure-fire way to spot one of these is to look for the black tips on their claws. As they get larger, they become quite "hairy" all over

 

[anthropo]

it's a stony crab or a type of. i have one in my tank and won't hurt a thing. you probably won't ever see it cause they like to hide in crevices. i had mine like 2 years ago and i thought it was dead. come to find out i still have it and it got 4 times it's original size. it won't harm anything in your tank. the general rule for crabs is if the claws are pointed like an arrow straight out like a blue crab, then it is aggressive. if the claws curve down to a point like a emerald crab, then it is reef safe.