Crab ID? Please.

[Frey]

Good evening reef community. Just noticed this guy in my fuge and he must have come in on something. Can anyone help me id please?

 

[LAReefer4Life]

That is a touch picture. Maybe post with your whites on for clear image to help identify.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

It looks like it's in the Majidae family but need white lights on to confirm. Some crabs are to small to correctly ID but we will get as close as possible once we get a better picture.

 

[Frey]

Thanks for looking. Unfortunately its my fuge so only red kessile grow light on it. Its white, about the size on a pencil eraser

 

[Katrina71]

Look at Maja crispata. Tell me what you think in comparison to what you see.

 

[Frey]

Definatly has the characteristics of the crispata. I am actually now wondering if this is just an exoskeleton as its still in the same place. Do crabs molt? Also although i did a quick google search there is not a lot of behavior traits listed. I assume scavenger/predatory crab? I took another photo

 

[Katrina71]

Crabs do molt.

 

[Katrina71]

Can you net it?

 

[Frey]

I netted it. It was just a molt. Crumbled to nothing when removed from the water. I assume due to its small size at the moment it can not do much harm in the 65 gallon refugium so i will let it be, plus i have no clue where the actual crab is. It can go about its life in there until it reaches a size that it can be caught and better photographed.
I don't believe it could ever make it to my dt from there as this feeds back into my sump then into one of the two return pumps.
Thank you much for your help.

 

[hllb]

Check out the pitho crabs. Same shape. Generally reef safe, males get up to 2" I think.

 

[Frey]

If its a pitho he is one lucky crab, there is all kinds of algae goodies in there for it to eat. The two species mentioned are both very similar and without the actual crab in hand i think i will just have to wait until i happen to see it and net it for photographs.
As mentioned i highly doubt it will be able to make it to the display but i do like to know what all i have scurrying about in the tanks. They must be slow growers as i haven't added anything in the fuge in a long time and its been fortunate enough to avoid being on the cheato when i remove it so i will just let it do its thing with the pods and the urchin i have in there.