My first hitchhiker

[siniang]

I'm currently traveling and the hubby just texted me "there is something else in your tank besides your fish" and then sent me this video. He says it's tiny, could be some kind of crab, but he isn't sure. It's in the sand. I know it's hard to see, sorry for the quality, but in the corner and it being so tiny he said it was really difficult to get a good few. I see a long "tail", but he said it's rather short...I can't really make heads or tails out of it (literally)

Any idea? Good? Bad?


Probably won't live long with my trigger, though...

 

[P-Dub]

Can't see anything. Zoom feature might help. I got them old eyes.

 

[reef lover]

Definitely a little crab but idk what kind...appears to be sifting the grave for food so maybe safe....

 

[siniang]

Sorry for the late reply, I just came home from a business trip. The little crustacean is still here and very alive. It buries in the sand but comes out during feeding time, so it might be a meat eater after all? I've seen it run across the sand.

Ghost/sand crab? But don't they need...air?

Here are some better pictures.

 

[WV Reefer]

Sorry for the late reply, I just came home from a business trip. The little crustacean is still here and very alive. It buries in the sand but comes out during feeding time, so it might be a meat eater after all? I've seen it run across the sand.

Ghost/sand crab? But don't they need...air?

Here are some better pictures.

I forget what they are called but it reminds me of the crabs that burrow into coral.

It’s cute though! I have a lenient hitchhiker policy so I would let it stay.

Looking at other pics online it does look like a basic sand crab.

 

[siniang]

Oh, I don't mind it and too think it's cute, but I'm afraid it'll become food eventually

Yeah, from the looks I was thinking sand crab, but I didn't know they can live fully aquatic. I always ever see them out of the water on the beach

 

[WV Reefer]

Oh, I don't mind it and too think it's cute, but I'm afraid it'll become food eventually

Yeah, from the looks I was thinking sand crab, but I didn't know they can live fully aquatic. I always ever see them out of the water on the beach

I hope the little guy makes it!

 

[cristata.reef]

Did you collect sand from the beach? If so where? I tend to be able to ID a lot of things if given a location from where it originated

 

[siniang]

@WV Reefer, thank you! I hope so too - so far the trigger hasn't found the little guy.

Did you collect sand from the beach? If so where? I tend to be able to ID a lot of things if given a location from where it originated

Yes, beach sand in Hawaii

 

[cristata.reef]

@WV Reefer, thank you! I hope so too - so far the trigger hasn't found the little guy.



Yes, beach sand in Hawaii

Perfect! Hawaii (and a lot of smaller Pacific islands are my geographical area of expertise). I'm almost 100% certain that it is a Hippa pacifica, a type of sandcrab native to Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific.

 

[siniang]

Perfect! Hawaii (and a lot of smaller Pacific islands are my geographical area of expertise). I'm almost 100% certain that it is a Hippa pacifica, a type of sandcrab native to Hawaii and the Indo-Pacific.

Thank you!!! That's awesome. I googled it and this very much looks like my little fella. I thought the shape was off for the ordinary white sand crab I see running around, but I don't know too much about smaller/larval stages of crustaceans. Is this one harmless or should I take it out? Can it live fully-aquatic?

 

[cristata.reef]

Thank you!!! That's awesome. I googled it and this very much looks like my little fella. I thought the shape was off for the ordinary white sand crab I see running around, but I don't know too much about smaller/larval stages of crustaceans. Is this one harmless or should I take it out? Can it live fully-aquatic?

I would assume so. They have been recorded a far down as 36-42 feet (originally expressed in fathoms). However they are filter feeders so they will need lots of particulate matter to stay alive

 

[Emmanuel Zamora]

Sand flea

 

[siniang]

Sand flea

Thank you for your input, but after comparing pictures I don't think it's a sand flea (but a Hippa pacifica). The legs are much longer.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen the little guy for the third day in a row, now

 

[WV Reefer]

Thank you for your input, but after comparing pictures I don't think it's a sand flea (but a Hippa pacifica). The legs are much longer.

Unfortunately, I haven't seen the little guy for the third day in a row, now

Oh no! Hopefully he’s hiding out somewhere.

 

[siniang]

I hope so, too. I mean, he was burrowing in the sand, but I saw him come out during feeding time - but nothing for three days now. Not sure if he's been eaten or decomposing somewhere in the sand.

 

[siniang]

LOOK who I startled during today's water change and clean-up, and accidentally "chased" halfway through the tank (ooops). ;Snaphappy

 

[Gareth elliott]

We used to catch them on the beach as kids. They would surf the oncoming wave then burrow for the residing tide to filter feed.
I dont know if they require that biotope to survive though.

 

[WV Reefer]

LOOK who I startled during today's water change and clean-up, and accidentally "chased" halfway through the tank (ooops). ;Snaphappy

Yay!!!

 

[Ewelina]

Maybe a limped.