Spotted a crab

11f150 · Jul 9, 2012

So after having my tank up and running for over 5 months now...I seen a crab I never seen before hiding in my rock work. I got my flashlight out and its about 2 inches across. Pretty crazy I never seen it before, had to of come inside a piece of live rock.

ToXIc · Jul 9, 2012

Did it have black claws or black claw tips?

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Young Frankenstein · Jul 9, 2012

Me too got some fresh rock about 4 months ago ........... still killing crabs, if you see one you probably have 20. Turn off the lights and turn them on after 1 hr night time to see them crawl like cockroaches

or use a red flash light.

11f150 · Jul 9, 2012

Young Frankenstein said:
Me too got some fresh rock about 4 months ago ........... still killing crabs, if you see one you probably have 20. Turn off the lights and turn them on after 1 hr night time to see them crawl like cockroaches or use a red flash light.

I look at my tank during the day and night all the time, somehow this guy has been hiding from me.

11f150 · Jul 9, 2012

Toxic, Ill have to get a better look

Dowtish · Jul 9, 2012

more than likely a gorilla crab, and not reef safe once they reach a certain size. I had 3 of them, and they were all very small, and at the time I only had a few corals, so I knew they hadnt started munching on them yet. I eventually found where they were living and had to pull the rock out and use tweazers to remove them. then i took the to them critter and fed them to the trigger fish.:croc:

11f150 · Jul 9, 2012

Dowtish said:
more than likely a gorilla crab, and not reef safe once they reach a certain size. I had 3 of them, and they were all very small, and at the time I only had a few corals, so I knew they hadnt started munching on them yet. I eventually found where they were living and had to pull the rock out and use tweazers to remove them. then i took the to them critter and fed them to the trigger fish.:croc:

Haha, I guess if you have to go out thats the way to do it. I just got a look at it. Its a reddish color with brown spots all over it. Gonna post a pic in a few minutes

Dowtish · Jul 9, 2012

Does it appear "hairy" at all?

11f150 · Jul 9, 2012

11f150 · Jul 9, 2012

That funny you ask if its hairy. Cause Im thinking I have 2. There was this one and one that looked completely hairy. Unless this one has hairs and they are just in right now

Carrigg · Jul 10, 2012

I saved a gorilla crab from an untimely death at my local fish store. I think they are great and just don't keep them in any tank with corals. If anyone would rather give it a good home instead of flushing it, let me know. I have a couple of tanks that are just going to be used for oddities that don't play well with others.
Christy

Dowtish · Jul 10, 2012

well hello christy! good to know that you rescue pests. i'll keep that in mind. I didnt want to flush the little guys, but wanted them to serve some sort of purpose, so I just manipulated what would of happend in nature.....sorta:smile:

nerdwolf · Jul 11, 2012

11f150 said:
That funny you ask if its hairy. Cause Im thinking I have 2. There was this one and one that looked completely hairy. Unless this one has hairs and they are just in right now

That's a porcelain crab - don't kill it, they're awesome. I don't think it'll hurt your coral as it's a filter feeder - hard to see in that pic, but it's holding up it's feeding appendages, which are fan-shaped and trap debris floating in the water. I have a few of them and they're fun to watch - they'll grab frozen food from tongs if I offer it, but seem content to just hang out in the same spot most of the day and just eat whatever floats their way.

Dowtish · Jul 11, 2012

Wow! now that you mention it, I do see it's feeding fans out. I had 2 of these for awhile, until a wrasse got them.:faint2: If the other crab is totally different than this one you might have to get it out, but the porcelain crab is totally reef safe, and cool to watch.