Allogalathea elegans aka Squat Lobster

[Purple Penguins]

So I have recently come across one of these little guys have not yet purchased him yest but I think he is amazing, from all the research I have done on them they live the life of a Porcelain anemone crab and are filter feeders that live on anemones. was wondering if anyone has any experience with them and could shed a little more light on them, they are the neatest looking creature and yet look like evil little buggers thus I have named this one Darth Vador

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[LeslieH]

Allogalathea elegans has a long pointed snout that extends past the eyes. This species, Galathea inflata, is in the same family. It is an obligate symbiont of crinoids which is not likely to survive for long without a crinoid for a host.

 

[rharr21]

That is one cool looking squat lobster! Never seen one before. Good luck with it.

 

[Purple Penguins]

well the squat lobster is living happily in my tank, he has been in the tank a week tomarrow, he was a gift from a friend, he eats well, and his fav spot is under a cliff on my LR, he back his butt end into a small hole of the rock and just collects small bits of food throughout the day, he defends his home from hermits by grabbing them by their shell and tossing them away from his home, that is the only aggressive behavior he has displayed thus far, he has shown no agressive behavior to fish, shrimp, my pom pom crab but he has a bit to me, he watches me and follows which direction my hand was going and keeping an eye out on me. it is very hard to get a pic of him since he is so small but I managed one

 

[LeslieH]

Very cool. I hope he makes it!

 

[gotfrogs]

Purple Penguins, how is he doing?