crab I.D. please

[wthorpe]

Looking for an I.D. on a crab that is a total surprise resident to my tank. It must have hitchhiked in on some rock that I purchased. I haven't got a picture, unfortunately, because it disappeared before I could take one. I know this is a bit of a stab in the dark, but since 45 minutes of rummaging through Google didn't turn up anything, I thought I'd give it a shot.

It's half an inch wide and neon orange with vertical white stripes... kind of like a crab version of a false percula clown. Another interesting characteristic is that it was brandishing a piece of shell that it had picked up, which reminded me of the anemone crab. It's not like any anemone crab I've seen before, though. Mine doesn't have long spidery legs. Shape-wise, he's similar to an emerald mythrix crab.

Any guesses?

 

[PallidSilversky]

I have no clue, it's really hard to tell from the description, but in my experience, most hitchikin crabs are no good. If you can catch hom, i would toss him in the sump. JMHO.

 

[wthorpe]

Ok, I was able to locate the little rascal and now have a couple of photos. Sorry, the second one is a little cloudy because my class is due for an algae scrap.

 

[PallidSilversky]

WOW. He is very cool looking. I really wish I knew what he was.
I'll keep looking for you!!

 

[wthorpe]

Yeah, isn't he cool? He's one of the coolest-looking crabs I've ever seen!

 

[fanaglethebagle]

That is a very pretty crab, its claws look damaging though...

 

[wthorpe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9229339#post9229339 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fanaglethebagle
That is a very pretty crab, its claws look damaging though...

You mean to my corals, etc., or to my hand? They are proportionately large, aren't they? He's pretty small, though... only a half inch wide. I had him in my hand ... he had a chance to really pinch me, but he didn't.

 

[Tu Ku]

The shell and claws are very reminiscent of a shameface crab and they are definately not something you want. However, I've never seen one look like that. That crab looks like it hung out with Timothy Leary a time or two. It probably won't attack corals but it is very likely that it could attack other crustaceans and even fish if it catches them. I haven't seen to many crabs with that formation just eat algae, but then again you have a very unique crab. Keep a watchful eye, and close tabs on your livestock. Good luck!

 

[racrumrine]

Beautiful crab!

If you don't want him , I'm sure someone will.

Best of luck,

Roy

 

[greenbean36191]

It's Platypodiella. Like almost all xanthids, they're opportunistic, so not very reef safe.

 

[wthorpe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9230985#post9230985 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by greenbean36191
It's Platypodiella. Like almost all xanthids, they're opportunistic, so not very reef safe.

Hey, thanks, greenbean! I see I wasn't far off with my clownfish comparison... a quick Google search of Platypodiella shows it's also know as the Gaudy Clown Crab.

I will watch him to see if he's going to be a problem. He probably came in with some zoos that I bought a few months ago. I wondered why they all disappeared! Well, I don't have much other coral now except for shrooms, so maybe he won't pose any more of a problem. Hopefully they don't go after hermits.