Found this crab in LFS, reef safe or not

[Oropher]

I found this in LFS. First thought it is a porcelain crab. However I'm not so sure anymore.

Could anyone help me ID this crab, and whether it is a reef safe or not.

Thanks folks.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

It looks like a harlequin crab. I don’t personally have experience with them, but a quick search shows they can be hit or miss with regard to eating corals.

 

[Oropher]

I looked up internet and found out that you're right. Thanks Bud.

Can it eat algae? If it can then I'll put it in my sump.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

What I read says it's an omnivore, so I'd imagine it might.

 

[BloopFish]

Cool crab. There are several crabs that are called the harlequin crabs. Some are hosted by tube anemones and others live on or in sea cucumbers. Would really like to get one myself, too bad online retailers don't sell cool inverts like that.

 

[BloopFish]

Upon further research, I'm pretty sure it's in the genus Lissocarcinus. The species with the closest shape and pattern is Lissocarcinus laevis. This species of crab lives in association with tube anemones in the genus Cerianthus. It would be VERY cool to have a species tank with the tube anemone and crab. It seems like they can possibly live with other anemones too, but I'd be reluctant to add them with corals.

 

[Oropher]

Yep they would make a symbiotic partners, that crab and tube anemone. However I can't take an anemone so that crab went to sump.