Large red crab ID

[Rewd]

Looks like a DIY crab trap is in my future.

He's a pretty decent size, maybe 3" across or so. Came in on my Florida Keys rock. Whenever I can catch him he'll become my new sump monster on my 90G lol.

 

[Jeffcb]

looks like Red Mithrax. I had several for FL live rock. Get em out.

 

[Rewd]

Definitely not a red Mithrax (not my pic). I have several of those and they don't bother anything.

 

[TopClamSkoo]

looks awesome! never seen a crab like that b4! i hope you can catch em.

hmm... sometimes i wish i could have got florida live rock instead of the aussie live rock. Most of the life on the aussie live rock died off, but the florida rock from what i hear has a lot of life! But who knows... ive only had the rock for about 2 weeks... already cycled and only see spaghetti worms and feather dusters but no other life... I do hear a pistol shrimp but thats about it.. hopefully more will show up as time goes on.

I know crabs are pests but i always wanted to fish em out and keep in away from the display section

Anywho, this crab kinda looks like a bulkier sally lightfoot

 

[Rewd]

Haha! What you've found on your aussie rock is basically what survived on my Florida rock too. Plenty of dusters, one large spaghetti worm, and yes, I too hear a LOUD pistol shrimp! LOL! The only additional I have beyond that are this unknown crab, 3 red mithrax crabs which I love, and possibly a Eunice worm which I am either going to remove or try to live in harmony with LOL

 

[TopClamSkoo]

Haha! What you've found on your aussie rock is basically what survived on my Florida rock too. Plenty of dusters, one large spaghetti worm, and yes, I too hear a LOUD pistol shrimp! LOL! The only additional I have beyond that are this unknown crab, 3 red mithrax crabs which I love, and possibly a Eunice worm which I am either going to remove or try to live in harmony with LOL

man! lucky!
when did u start seeing the crabs? I know this isnt popular to say but i hope i have some crabs in my rocks!
They'll either be food for my neon dottyback (it will be the only fish) or id like to fish them out and place them in a species specific tank!
Crabs are my favorite inverts. I just hate having them in my display tank. I had bad experiences with them in the past when I caught a emerald nipping at my zoas and an anemone crab taking a bite out of my torch.
The only crabs I had great experiences with was an acro crab and Caribbean porcelain crab. Had both for years and never bothered corals. Even left the clams0 alone!
The only other hitchhiker I hope to see one day are those mini serpent stars.

Anywho, did these crabs/other hitchhikers appear after time went on? From my past experiences, I usually saw hitchikers (bigger ones) months later. But just wondering about your experience.

thanks! sorry if im hijacking this thread by asking this question.

 

[Uncle99]

I trust not one crab in my DT.

 

[Rewd]

man! lucky!
when did u start seeing the crabs? I know this isnt popular to say but i hope i have some crabs in my rocks!
They'll either be food for my neon dottyback (it will be the only fish) or id like to fish them out and place them in a species specific tank!
Crabs are my favorite inverts. I just hate having them in my display tank. I had bad experiences with them in the past when I caught a emerald nipping at my zoas and an anemone crab taking a bite out of my torch.
The only crabs I had great experiences with was an acro crab and Caribbean porcelain crab. Had both for years and never bothered corals. Even left the clams0 alone!
The only other hitchhiker I hope to see one day are those mini serpent stars.

Anywho, did these crabs/other hitchhikers appear after time went on? From my past experiences, I usually saw hitchikers (bigger ones) months later. But just wondering about your experience.

thanks! sorry if im hijacking this thread by asking this question.

Oh I forgot, I do think I have a Caribbean porcelain crab too! I noticed the mithrax crabs immediately as I was putting the rock in the tank. I originally counted about 6, but there are only 3 now. Same with the pistol shrimp... I saw him swim off the rock as it was added. I've never seen him since, but I hear him a lot in the evening haha. And I also forgot about the serpent stars... have TONS of those. Love them!!

The only hitchiker I noticed after time was this larger red crab. He was staring at me through a rock one day which startled me a bit and then the possible eunice worm I noticed a couple weeks ago when it poked its head out from a rock. As far as I can tell, neither have caused any issues up to this point. The crab will get sumped if I can get him and will likley get supplementary feeding down there. I'd like to grow him out and see how big he actually gets

 

[TopClamSkoo]

awesome!
dang... makes me wonder if buying the aussie rock was worth it.

I used to buy rocks from walt smith years ago. i remember a great deal of the life was dead but I a lot of life appeared a month later.

This Aussie rock from Unique corals seems quite dead. Only dusters, pods, and some odd tube anemones. I like I have a pistol shrimp... but I guess the trip from Australia to US was too much for the rest of the animals...

Too bad because I have no room to get a live rock from Florida in there.

 

[Gedxin]

If I recall correctly black tip claws is representative of a gorilla crab. Mithrax have white tips and are generally reef safe (assuming adequate food.)