Crab ID

[Hlothran]

Anyone have any ideas what kind of crab this is? I have not been able to find anything on him so far.

 

[Donald Gilliss]

Didn’t even see this guy at first... thought I was supposed to be looking at the black thing.

 

[Hlothran]

lol.. Yeah, he is pretty hidden in plain sight. It was his claw moving the first time that gave him away.

 

[Donald Gilliss]

Just curious... what is the black thing? Lol

 

[Hlothran]

It is a little urchin hiding in the hole next to him. I have found three so far, this is the smaller of the three.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Do you know where your rock originated?

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Just curious... what is the black thing? Lol

Juvenile urchin.

 

[Hlothran]

Do you know where your rock originated?

Tampa Bay Saltwater

 

[Jay York]

Tampa Bay Saltwater

I found an urchin last night in some TBS rock I ordered a month ago. I seem to find something new every day.

 

[Hlothran]

I found an urchin last night in some TBS rock I ordered a month ago. I seem to find something new every day.

This was put in last Tuesday night. Been finding quite a bit of stuff. So far I have a known gorilla to deal with. He has molted once already so time to break out the trap and get him out of there. Should be a fun experience.

 

[Jay York]

This was put in last Tuesday night. Been finding quite a bit of stuff. So far I have a known gorilla to deal with. He has molted once already so time to break out the trap and get him out of there. Should be a fun experience.

I have a gorilla crab too. Almost got him with a long pair of tweezers the other night. You will keep finding amazing things, so glad I ordered from TBS.

 

[Kamden Uelton]

Looks like the Red Variant of an Emerald Crab

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Tampa Bay Saltwater

I thought so. Good choice! I have TBS rock in two tanks.

The crab is likely a mithrax species and looks similar to a channel clinging crab, but those get rather large. I'm not sure of the exact species. Most crabs that have those type of claws graze algae and are not much of a problem until they get larger and more opportunistic in what they eat.

The urchin is probably a Florida Purple Spined urchin - all mine were - and you'll likely see more as they hatch over time. When they are little they are very flat and like to stay in a little depression in the rocks. They grow pretty fast, though, getting to around one to two inches across in about 4-6 months.

Holy smokes that picture was larger than I thought!

 

[Hlothran]

I thought so. Good choice! I have TBS rock in two tanks.

The crab is likely a mithrax species, and looks similar to a channel clinging crab, but those get rather large. I'm not sure of the exact species. Most crabs that have those type of claws graze algae and are not much of a problem until they get larger and more opportunistic in what they eat.

That is what I was just settling on, the channel clinging (or reef spider). Unless I hear otherwise that is what I will go with and will just watch him for now.