Acro crabs

[GT350pwns]

I received a nice colony of acropora subulata from DD today and noticed a regular, commensal crab (Smooth body, pinkish in color). Well, upon closer inspection of the colony after it has been set into my tank (not secured down yet), turns out he was not the only resident! There is a fuzzy crab with white, beady eyes that I am assuming is a gorilla crab or something else that isn't exactly beneficial.

How can I get these guys out? Would I be able to heat up my bucket of waste saltwater from the last WC i did and shake the snot out of the colony? Or are there going to have to be different measures?

After some digging on the internet, I believe it MAY be a Cymo andreossyi.

According to chucksaddiction, this crab species is largely symbiotic. But, it may do more harm than good in the long run. What should I do?

 

[spsfreak25]

When i found one i took twizzers and i broke off its legs till i could pull him/her off.

 

[GT350pwns]

Just watched a youtube vid of someone doing that. The only problem is that my a. subulata colony has very tight spaces in between the branches. Want this bugger out before I go to bed tonight.

 

[spsfreak25]

If you have any coral rx double the dose and let it sit see if he comes out. When i worked for a lfs i use to triple the dose of coral rx

 

[GT350pwns]

None on hand and can't make an LFS run until monday

Going to try to shake it off and see how it goes. if it doesn't, will try the tweezers with the colony out of water.

 

[spsfreak25]

Shaking it will just make it go deeper and hold on stronger

 

[GT350pwns]

never mind that, than...

maybe an iodine solution in the old tank water? if I have any of that.

or I can just untwist my pantaloons and wait until Monday... just makes me uneasy

 

[GT350pwns]

you can kind of see the little bugger in the first pic..

 

[GT350pwns]

Going to have to wait until Tuesday to be able to buy some coral RX.

My question is whether or not I will be able to save the commensal crab or if the dip will kill it as well as the Cymo andreossyi

 

[GT350pwns]

Nevermind lol.

Pulled the colony and skewered the problem crab with a toothpick. Wanted to remove him to see if he could carry on a life somewhere else, but I heard a nice crunch and found him in two pieces.

 

[bklynreef123]

Try poking at him with a thin zip tie or sandwich bag twisty to coerce him out. IME coral pro rx is rough on corals especially at higher concentrations.

 

[spsfreak25]

how did he get crushed

 

[GT350pwns]

how did he get crushed

Was trying to coax him out using a toothpick, ended up moving under the toothpick when I was repositioning for another try and it split the top and bottom sections of his shell.

No harm to the coral. It actually seemed a lot happier right off the bat after being placed back in the tank.

Am going to leave it at the bottom for the duration of the weekend, move it to about midway up the rock work on Monday, and secure it to my mag rock during tank maintenence on Tuesday.

Cannot wait to see this coral color back up completely. Wish I would've saved the DD image. Almost turquoise branches, deep purple tips, and bright green polyps.

 

[spsfreak25]

well that worked out well. lol

 

[snorvich]

Hairy or blue eyes = bad crab I use forceps.

 

[GT350pwns]

Thanks, Steve. Was a little fuzzy dude with blue eyes. He is now in the big acro in the sky lol

There is also a smooth pinkish guy in the colony. Glad I didn't order an acro crab to go with it lol.

 

[bogg]

I take a dentist tool plaque scraper and push them to the side thell move on their own mostly to avoid the tool get them to the edge then remove! I'll put them in the sump

 

[Pife]

They die and fall out when I dip my corals.

 

[GT350pwns]

They die and fall out when I dip my corals.

Good thing I was able to get the bad one with a toothpick. I hear the commensal crabs can be hugely beneficial to the acro.

 

[Oldude]

Hairy or blue eyes = bad crab I use forceps.

+1
I also have a dental pick I use to chase them out where I can grab them.