Crab Good or Bad?

[JamieC]

Got two of these that showed up in a birdsnest frag. Any idea what they are? The body is the size of a dime.

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Coral Crabs - Specimen #7

Tetralia sp.

chucksaddiction.thefishestate.net

 

[JamieC]

Wow, that was quick. Thanks for the link. Think it's reef safe?

 

[PR_nano]

Trapieza guttata http://reeftools.com/news/guardians-of-the-acropora/

 

[ReeferWarrant]

Probably, it says its a "Commensal" organism with the coral, meaning the coral is neither harmed or benefited from it. It just uses it as a place to hide. Crabs are opportunistic though, so it probably would eat small snails or whatever it can catch if not fed.

 

[Pau Hana Reefer]

Lucky you! What was once thought of as pest crabs... we now pay good money for!

 

[JamieC]

Thanks!

 

[LiveWire]

I had some of these in Acros in the past and they never harmed them. I did feed that system heavy and that may why they survived.