It's a crab (with one arm)

[shornik]

I've been trying to Gerri's of this crab for months. Last night I got the closest to gettting it but I came away with only one of its claws. Anyone know what kind it is?

Notice the one flaw. I've got his other one.

 

[Tahoe61]

Not sure, it's hairy so it might be a gorilla type.

 

[shornik]

It is definitely hairy, you can't see that in the pics, but the back legs are more white and hairy. Can you trap them?

 

[Reefapprentice]

Looks like a gorilla crab,a xanthid.you can use a simple soda bottle trap or simply remove the rock he had a home on. Make great sump pets or invert orientated fish food.

 

[shornik]

Thanks, I'll try the soda bottle trap, I've used that successfully for a trouble causing damsel..... Hopefully I'll have the same success.

 

[Vincent100]

Looks abit like a black Mithrax crab
If it is there not that bad , just need feeding

 

[shornik]

Looks abit like a black Mithrax crab
If it is there not that bad , just need feeding

Mine has fuzzy/hairy whitish back legs would that rule out a Mithrax and point more towards a Gorilla? I'll try to get a better pic if I can.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Some mithrax do have harry legs. Just and FYI. I thought mithrax too, but I am certainly no expert. I just know I have both hairy and non hairy mithrax and they have never been issues.

 

[Reefapprentice]

I've never seen a mirthax with hairy legs which it I though it looked like, so I put xanthid, most common gorilla crabs.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Mithrax can have very hairy legs. Mine did. That claw looks like a mithrax.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Here's an example...

link to picture

 

[shornik]

Here's an example...

link to picture

Yikes that is hairy and actually quite similar to mine, now I am feeling really bad for absconding with one of its claws

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Where did you put him?

 

[shornik]

Where did you put him?

He's still in the tank, when I tried to get him, all that I got was the claw, the rest of him escaped. I see him all the time, eating with that one claw now - he still doesn't venture much beyond the rock he lives in, its Bahama rock so there are just tons of holes and crevices to escape into.

 

[Sm51498]

Don't feel bad, he will grow another. that claw does look like a mithrax crab claw but it also looks adapted for killing. This crab is likely also a hunter. keep him well fed and you should be fine though.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

What is "adapted for killing".

 

[Sm51498]

Those bumps along the inside of the claw are to grip and crush prey

 

[Lionfish Lair]

To me that's just a regular mithrax claw.

 

[Sm51498]

Not in my opinion. That claw looks much more adapted for hunting than these.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Shornik, I've had a red mithrax just like yours. It actually got to be a decent size before I accidentally laid a rock on it during a move. I thought he had died, because I hadn't seen him in forever. Mine lost a claw too when the rock was laid on him, but he sustained other injuries and he died a short time later.

Maybe offer him some food, just in case he's having trouble getting his own while he grows another claw. One thing I've found over the years, is that crabs missing a claw tend to get a little nastier in the interim of growing one back.