Need help with Crab and Starfish Detection!

Hi all!
I really hope someone can help me with this, as I'm not having any luck with my search online.
I recently bought some fuji live rock from a local store. I hand picked from several of their show tanks. Most of the creatures I've been able to detect, but this odd crab has me stumped. It's a power blue color and the body is about the size of a dime. It has equal sized claws that are large, but long and narrow. It also has fairly large fan type things that move a mile a minute, bringing food to its mouth. It's body is also very flat. Can you tell me what this might be, and if it's ok to have in my tank?
I also have been seeing several tiny starfish. I was reading online about them. It says that if they have short fat uneven sized legs, they are bad and should be removed? That if the arms are even, they are ok? Is this correct? I removed 2 that had uneven legs/arms? But kept the one that had longer even legs. It's beige with dark spots.
Any info or advice is greatly appreciated! If anyone has a link to the crab I'm looking for, that would be awesome!
Thanks!
~RG~
 

mr_x

Active Member
the crab is a porcelain crab. there are a few variations, but i believe the powder blue ones are native to florida.
the stars are most likely asterina stars. some of them are harmful, some aren't.
 
Hi again!
I was looking at some online pics of the porcelain crabs and I'm now wondering if what I have IS a porcelain crab? Although I have yet to see a picture of a powder blue, my crab claws seem much longer and narrower than the pics I've seen.
Anyway... I took a pic to show you. Sorry the blue color just doens't show up. She's hiding upsidedown under a rock, so it's the best pic I can get, for now.
What do you think?
 
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