Gorilla crab?

[Tomoko Schum]

I found this little guy sitting in my Hawkins Blue echinata this morning.

He is about a dime size and has a big black-tipped claw (claws before I lifted it out with tweezers.)
I wonder if he is a bad guy. The Hawkins Blue has lost some tissues. He might have been just cleaning the dead tissue.

I have been battling with slow tissue necrosis on some of my acro colonies lately. I dipped the corals and found no parasites. I suppose it's some sort of bacterial or viral infection although it's limited mainly to the right side of my tank so far.

I found my Koralia 4 powerhead on the right side of my tank dead the other day. This might have well been having a leakage current issue. My Powder Blue Tang was acting like he was having a mild seisure for a couple of weeks. I was wondering if he's gone bonkers.

I also found the guard on my 6 inch fan rusted. It blew some fine metal dust on the right hand side of the tank when I restarted it recently.

The crab was also on the Hawkins Blue located on the right hand side of the tank.

Too many things happening on the right hand side... Could the right side of my tank be haunted? Did I upset a reef god or goddess somehow?

 

[JSB]

He looks evil, and looks like a gorilla crab. He may not be the root cause of your problem, but I bet he is helping out.

 

[Jlobes]

Man. I have a pest crab, that is definitely a gorilla crab. super fast and reactive, pointy black claws. been trying to catch that guy for months. He has definitely eaten more than one zoanthid morph. almost had him yesterday!! lol Its come down to me making mini crab traps and getting really patient! "Ill get you my pretty!!"

 

[markkazdad]

Have you decided his fate?

 

[Tomoko Schum]

It's still in the cup with shallow water. I need to euthanize him somehow.

 

[JSB]

I have always euthanized them by freezing them. Seemed more humane than the flush, especially them being cold blooded.

 

[ahtatt]

I have a crab that looks similar to this one in my tank. It came with some lr I had gotten when i first got into the hobby several years ago, but i havent noticed it eating any of my corals.

the crab in my tank is more red/orange, equally fuzzy and still has the black tipped claws.
any thoughts on this guys?

 

[BHAMR6]

I would put him in my fuge if you lived closer.. I'm a sucker for not hurting anything ( it's a curse to be that way it has had me driving all over the state for hurt animals )

 

[markkazdad]

I could possibly pick him up after work on Saturday. I get off around 3pm. (and a small tank I can put him in where he can't do damage).