*sigh* yet another crab hitchhiker ID

[haleyf1024]

This seems to be yet another hitchhiking crab making his appearance. I know I have a ruby mithrax in there that just shed, so I am hoping this is just him looking slightly different. This "new" crab is red like the ruby and about the same size as the decorator and porcelain I found, maybe 3/4" long from leg to leg. His claws seem to be slightly hairy, and so does his body, but just barely. His other legs are hairy like my emerald and ruby. Could this be a gorilla crab? There is no way for me to catch him , he's already been in the system for 5 months and no coral or nem has been harmed by any inhabitants.

 

[Mike J.]

Can't identify for your pics. Key components of crab identification are the back legs and claws.

 

[haleyf1024]

He was very skiddish and wouldn't come out any further, what info is needed?

 

[Mike J.]

Crab Hitch Hikers

 

[haleyf1024]

None of those look like him. If I had to describe this crab, it looks like a furrier red mithrax.

 

[Mike J.]

Does it have cupped claws? If so, I'd leave it. Does it have sharp claws like this, Gorilla Crab? This one is blown up and is actually only 1/2" wide, came in inside a Crocea clam.

Or cupped claws like this Mithrax crab.

 

[Mike J.]

And the back legs, are they pointed like the rest of the legs or are they paddle shaped - swimming crab?

 

[Mike J.]

I was showing the pictures to get an answer on the shape of the claws. Here's a Black Mithrax crab shed. All of these crabs have been in my tank for years except the Gorilla crab, of course. A Red Mithrax or an Emerald would look exactly the same as this one.

 

[haleyf1024]

It looks like it had the cupped claws, but they were slightly darker than the rest of the body unlike my emerald and ruby. And the back legs were pointed. My emerald doesn't look exactly like that black mithrax, he has hairier legs and a rougher shell, and is like 3-4" from tip to tip. Unless I see the crab again or my corals become damaged or disappear he will probably stay there. Honestly, he looked like he had the entire body and legs of that gorilla you posted but with the claws of a mithrax, just hairy.

 

[Mike J.]

The black mithrax is hairy like the first one, just not a good pic.

 

[haleyf1024]

he came up for a pellet again. You can kind of see his claw here. The other one looks like a mithrax claw

 

[Mike J.]

Still can't make it out real good. Definitely has sharp claws. Looks like one claw is bigger than the other? Looks to me likes it's a Xanthid crab; none of which are good to have in your tank.

 

[haleyf1024]

One is definitely bigger than the other. Looks to me like he has one gorilla crab claw and one mithrax crab claw.

 

[haleyf1024]

If it is a xanthid species, what would happen if I left him in there? There id no way to take his rock out without killing my big montipora. I have read about the glass cup idea but he is so skiddish I doubt he would be willing to leave the rock he is on, even for food.

 

[haleyf1024]

I CAUGHT HIM!! He jumped on a rose coral so I took it out and shook him off.

 

[haleyf1024]