Acro Crab (Cymo andreossyi) on my millepora (pics n video)

[ToXIc69]

so i picked up this coal at the LFS last night, i would like some confirmation on the little crab... looks like a Acro crab but would like confirmation plz.. i appreciate your help..

video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAhW3mP1WjM

 

[aqua80]

Cymo andreossyi ?

Very common and is considered a coral symbiont, with the caveat that such symbiosis are a trade off between the coral and the crab, the coral gains protection and house cleaning services while giving up a few polyps, mucus and captured/settled food particles in exhange for those services. A healthy coral should have no problem repairing or replacing lost polyps, but again, in an aquarium environment, an eye should be kept on the coral for excessive damage being done due to the coral being unable to recover as fast or faster than the damage being done by the crab. In short, its a judgement call that you will have to make.

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/coral_crabs.html

so I think I would leave it there and see what happens... if he's doing more damage, always time to get him out of the colony !

 

[ToXIc69]

wow thank you for a quick and correct ID!!!

he looks exactly like the Cymo andreossyi down to its blue eyes and black/blue tipped claws..

thank you...

**title edited**

 

[nvdiz]

very cool i haven't seen one that blended in with the coral so well.

 

[ToXIc69]

video added..

 

[Acrotrdco]

If I were you, I wouldn't take the chance, and get rid of it.

Your acro would do just fine without the cleaning from the crab, but losing polyps to the crab means it'll be in a worse shape and grow slower, or worse coloration.

 

[twon8]

I always remove the blue eyed ones as I've watched them tear off flesh of acros. The little bandit ones are the good ones

 

[eja99]

I would remove him ASAP. It looks like the crab is stripping the flesh off the coral's skeleton.

 

[ToXIc69]

well i lost the crab...

a snail go onto my frag rack and pushed it off.. came home to see the mille on the sandbed and no crab...