Hitchhiker crab ID

dcmartinpc · Jul 21, 2020

Just got in a shipment of live rock and I am trying to ID a couple crabs. The mantis I am trying to find a safe place to put.... I would hate to kill it. I already found some ruby mithrax and scarlet reef hermits, but I can't quite place these other crabs. Ideas?

Here is a video showing them a bit better...

Thanks!

Don

ScottR · Jul 21, 2020

Not sure about those crabs but they may not last long with that mantis shrimp in there.

F i s h y · Jul 21, 2020

where did you receive your rock from to get those types of hitchhikers

dcmartinpc · Jul 21, 2020

Rock is from KP Aquatics. AMAZING rock so far. Very clean and mostly beneficial hitchhikers that I have seen so far. I moved the mantis to a separate container. He has calmed down. Not sure what I want to do with it quite yet.

Don

TriggerFinger · Jul 21, 2020

Oh my. Gave me the willies, they move like spiders ;Wideyed I do know that KP is pretty good about being able to ID a lot of their hitchhikers so you could email them pics and video if nobody here knows.

dcmartinpc · Jul 21, 2020

TriggerFinger said:
Oh my. Gave me the willies, they move like spiders ;Wideyed I do know that KP is pretty good about being able to ID a lot of their hitchhikers so you could email them pics and video if nobody here knows.

Thanks! I just fired off an email!

Don

Taborct1 · Jul 22, 2020

I could be wrong but look up trapezia crabs (guard crabs) https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trapezia

I searched reef crabs and this is the closest thing I saw.

vetteguy53081 · Jul 22, 2020

Looks like some type of porcelain crab

ScottR · Jul 22, 2020

vetteguy53081 said:
Looks like some type of porcelain crab

This made me think... two of them only have 6 legs so not true crabs. Porcelain crab is totally plausible.

najer · Jul 22, 2020

Nice mantis.

TriggerFinger · Jul 22, 2020

I watched it again. Did the mantis knock out the one clawed crab?? I think the mantis needs a nano tank!

TriggerFinger · Jul 22, 2020

Also, is this rock for a new tank? Build thread? I want to see the rock!

xjiang7 · Jul 22, 2020

Two of them are porcelain crabs should be safe. I will put the third one in refugium

Webslinger · Jul 22, 2020

pointy claws.....to sump

dcmartinpc · Jul 22, 2020

Hey Guys! Quick update. I heard back from Philipp at KP Aquatics and he confirmed the 2 were a variation of Porcelain Crabs and are reef safe.

The 3rd is hard to ID, but he has black pointy claws, so I have deemed it Mantis food. The mantis is in a small sealed container floating in the sump for now. I am considering a small mantis pico I could run on my desk....

My build thread is here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/1000-gallon-ish-build.718223/

I am going to be posting some pictures of the rock and other beneficial hitchhikers there!

Don