Crab - friend or foe?

WhiskeyCoffee

New member
Found while moving some rock around, was fortunate enough to snag and detain him. Should I keep him or toss him?

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That doesn't look like a xanthid to me. His claws look very algae eaterish....

I dunno though.
 
It doesnt look like xanthid. The claws are for eating algae. If I'm not mistaken, I also have these in my tank (but with hairy legs) and they dont bother anybody so it should be fine.
 
I don't trust any crab with one exception, the Scarlet legged hermit. Even the so called "safe" xanthid crabs aren't safe.

I think the acropora and porcelain crabs are safe from what I've read.

Did you know that the xanthid crabs are poisonous? Yep they carry palytoxin. Also they can and will eat live fish and corals.

I decided to change my post, but I also want to add that you should get rid of it. IMO
 
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I don't trust any crab with one exception, the Scarlet legged hermit. Even the so called "safe" xanthid crabs.

Did you know that they're poisonous? Yep they carry palytoxin. Also they can and will eat live fish. I had one in my tank to eat algae, once it got to a large adult size it started going after fish. I had a small Royal Gramma disappear then got a replacement. Well a few days after getting the new one I caught the bastard with my RG in his claws eating it where it would sleep. :hammer: They will also eat corals once your algae is gone.

So mine lives in my sump along with several blue legged hermits because they too are murderous bastards :hammer:
Ai iz dissagreh wit u. I haz wun milyun ov crabs
 
Ai iz dissagreh wit u. I haz wun milyun ov crabs

Wait until it is mature. Oh and by the way, I know you can speak and type English so please drop the slang, it's tacky and makes you appear to not be so smart.

You can disagree with me all you want to, but facts are just that facts and something that DID happen. It's not an opinion.
 
Wait until it is mature. Oh and by the way, I know you can speak and type English so please drop the slang, it's tacky and makes you appear to not be so smart.

You can disagree with me all you want to, but facts are just that facts and something that DID happen. It's not an opinion.
They are all mature. I know this because most of them are 3in+
 
I always had a practice that if I was uncertain what it was I either removed and took back to the lfs ( generally they can ID for sure or take it off your hands) or toss it in the sump to fend for itself. I'd rather be safe than sorry.
 
I don't trust any crab with one exception, the Scarlet legged hermit. Even the so called "safe" xanthid crabs aren't safe.

I think the acropora and porcelain crabs are safe from what I've read.

Did you know that the xanthid crabs are poisonous? Yep they carry palytoxin. Also they can and will eat live fish and corals.

I decided to change my post, but I also want to add that you should get rid of it. IMO

I agree.
 
I always had a practice that if I was uncertain what it was I either removed and took back to the lfs ( generally they can ID for sure or take it off your hands) or toss it in the sump to fend for itself. I'd rather be safe than sorry.

I toss them in my mantis tank (a.k.a. Thunderdome); they make for good mantis food. Get the world out to your friends and they will supply you with all the castaways you need to keep your mantis fed.
 
I toss them in my mantis tank (a.k.a. Thunderdome); they make for good mantis food. Get the world out to your friends and they will supply you with all the castaways you need to keep your mantis fed.

Lol, I do the same thing! Scored 3 big food crabs just yesterday for sump mantis.
 
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