Who is this???

[amanda]

Today, I noticed a strange looking critter in my tank. It has the same body shape as my emerald crabs, except it is brown and hairy looking. Is this what an emerald crab looks like when it is molting? Any ideas what it is?
Thanks,
Amanda : )

 

[paulytee]

Amanda, that's so strange. I noticed the same type of creature in my tank! Im asumming the same thing because I have three emeralds and now only the two are the jade green color and the other is hairy brown. Keep me posted on what your little guy does and Ill do the same. BTW, where did you get your emeralds? I recieved mine online from SWF.
Paulytee

 

[grouperhead]

if im not mistaken, salty has one of these little fellow's in his tank. maybe he can tell you what it is. later, bo

 

[hermit enthusiast]

Yeah he found out it was just an emerald that had grown alga on his shell and other stuff he shed off when he molted.
Peace

 

[amanda]

I received my two emerald from SWF. I've been trying to find the hairy little guy, but I can't seem to find him. Funny, whenever you are looking for them they are no where to be found. The strange thing is that it looked a lot smaller then what my emerald crabs are.

 

[sduda]

This is helpful, thanks. I have one in my setup also and could not figure out for the life of me what it was. It came on a piece of LR from the LFS when I setup my tank. Are they bad for anything in the tank (ie. are they agressive towards good things?).

 

[jacrmill]

if it is molting thats probably why you cant find him. when inverts are molding they are more vulnerable so they tend to stay hidden.

 

[saltwater marauder]

Had a crab that looked alot like an emerald but had flat legs, I assume for swimming. He would hide in my rock and was actually in the tank for two months before I saw him. Little sucker totally cleaned one rock of all coraline, had large, large pinchers and was brownish red in color with red eyes. Hadnt attcked anything but he ate all my coraline and I wasnt risking it. Played it safe and fed him to my puffer. Whenever I cannot identify anything in my tank I always play it safe and remove them. Also, if you cannot identify something and are worried but want to keep it until you identify it you can take one of those cheap gladware tupperware containers (the small ones), puncture some holes in the sided and bottom, put the crab (or whatever) in it and sink it to the bottom of your tank. Like a little holding cell while you work on id.