Creature - ID please

[SouL_Shaker]

I've seen a new creature inside the live rock. I wonder what this is. Looks like tarantula. Black white legged. And similar to pistol shrimp's hands with purple color. And lots of antenna.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Hard to tell from the video, but looks like a crab claw? Could it be a hitchhiker crab?

 

[4FordFamily]

It's definitely a crab but without seeing the body I am not skilled enough to identify it :/

 

[SouL_Shaker]

Hard to tell from the video, but looks like a crab claw? Could it be a hitchhiker crab?

Yes looks like hitchhiker crab. Is it harmful to enviorement?

 

[SouL_Shaker]

Hard to tell from the video, but looks like a crab claw? Could it be a hitchhiker crab?

http://www.kpaquatics.com/product/red-mithrax-crab/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hitchhiker-crab.109165/

This is the same one. Opinions?

 

[donnievaz]

http://www.kpaquatics.com/product/red-mithrax-crab/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hitchhiker-crab.109165/

This is the same one. Opinions?

Looks like a mithrax from what I can see but it's not very clear.

 

[SouL_Shaker]

Looks like a mithrax from what I can see but it's not very clear.

Is it harmful to environment ?

 

[donnievaz]

Is it harmful to environment ?

You'll get differing opinions on that. The common consensus is they're reef safe. they mainly eat algae but I've seen reports of them attacking fish when they get really large but I think that's a fairly rare occurrence. I've personally seen them go after hermits and actually got it on film.

 

[SouL_Shaker]

You'll get differing opinions on that. The common consensus is they're reef safe. they mainly eat algae but I've seen reports of them attacking fish when they get really large but I think that's a fairly rare occurrence. I've personally seen them go after hermits and actually got it on film.

Is it better not to have them ? Or are they as beneficial as bristle worms ?

 

[donnievaz]

Is it better not to have them ? Or are they as beneficial as bristle worms ?

In my opinion they're not as beneficial as bristleworms as a CUC member but it really depends on the behavior of the crab as to whether they're worth having. Like most anything else each one is different. You may have a model citizen that eats nothing but algae and leftover food. I would just keep an eye on it and if it gets out of line get it out.

 

[SouL_Shaker]

In my opinion they're not as beneficial as bristleworms as a CUC member but it really depends on the behavior of the crab as to whether they're worth having. Like most anything else each one is different. You may have a model citizen that eats nothing but algae and leftover food. I would just keep an eye on it and if it gets out of line get it out.

Does it harm corals and adult clown fish ?

 

[donnievaz]

Does it harm corals and adult clown fish ?

Not generally.

 

[SouL_Shaker]

Not generally.

All of my fish are XXL size. I should not worry then.

 

[donnievaz]

You should also try to get a better picture of it. If it's not a Mithrax it could be something much more dangerous.

 

[donnievaz]

All of my fish are XXL size. I should not worry then.

Probably not. How big is the crab?

 

[SouL_Shaker]

Probably not. How big is the crab?

1 cm.

I also put purple reef lobster into 200gallon tank & he is totally reef safe.

On the other hand other purple reef lobster inside the nano ate whatever I put into tank. Around 7 clown fish and 5 fridmani in a year.

 

[vxcvxc]

It looks like my emerald crabs. I have three and think that they add interest to the aquarium. To make sure that they don't eat my corals, I give them those algae pellets that they sell in a bag at Petsmart. I have even pretty much handed a pellet to a crab when he was picking at a rock near the surface. They love those pellets.