Red Crab ID Please??

[bubblegurl]

We found this guy in our tank about a month ago. Mostly hides in the rocks, but last night saw him coming out of the sandbed. Don't see him at all during the day. Any idea what it is? body is about the size of a quarter, and he seems to eat the algae of the rocks.
This is the first time we've actually seen his whole body and could only get these 3 pics before he scampered off. We thought red emerald, but I can't find any pics anywhere. LFS said may be hard to identify until its bigger, but thought we'd likely have to get rid of it. Thoughts? Thanks.

 

[meowzer]

WOW...no clue....did you get a look at the claws?

 

[bubblegurl]

Can kindof see them here. They are pinchers and he uses them to eat but that's all I know. He's really pretty, deep deep red color with the white markings.

 

[meowzer]

Well I can't really tell...BUT they usually say black tip claws are bad
This crab is different from any I have seen though

 

[bubblegurl]

They don't look black at all, but we have no idea where he came from (LR probably) so no idea how old it is. Will keep an eye on him and see what he does. We've been searching books and internet to see if we could ID him but nothing. LFS thought its a hairy leg crab and will change colors.

 

[meowzer]

Yeah....I can't find anything that looks like that either....LOL

 

[bubblegurl]

Well kinda cool to have something different...hope he's safe. All he's done so far is eat the algae off the rocks. Scared the crap outta me last night, had shut off the lights and checking to see what was going on and all of a sudden I see this red thing in the sand...slowly he comes out and attaches to the rock, but thought at first was some creepy worm or something....

 

[1guydude]

Well i had some hitchhiker crabs once upon a time.....they werent the good kind! Red eyes and sharp pinchers are the usual signs of a not so good crab...its ur choice to keep em or ditch em! I personally took some tongs to the holes they lived in and killed em....flushed em...
i didnt wanna kill em but they left me no choice! After awhile he will come out more and more!

 

[travelerjp98]

I would watch him for a little more... he looks pretty cool though!

 

[bubblegurl]

What should I watch for? Would he go after my corals or other inverts? We think he's pretty cool looking, sucks he only ventures out when it's dark!

 

[1guydude]

crabs will eat anything! Watch ir coral and if u see damage or polyps going missing...u can prob put a bet on it that its him!

 

[bubblegurl]

Will watch, he's been there for a while and so far no issues....but don't have a lot in the tank yet.

 

[peasofme]

he looks like the harmless kind. keep watch