crab ID Please

[markviiisvt4]

I've been hearing loud snaps late at night that i thought was a pistol, but I've never been able to see it. I started to think that it was this white hitchhicker crab I have. I haven't been able to get a picture of him or catch him, until i got up this morning and found this. Wich i'm pretty sure is a molt.

Any one know what it is? I've only seen him scrape the rocks like my mythrax, but I know that doesn't mean much. I'm also still hearing the clicks, but again could be a pistol.

 

[Tayler]

id say its a mantis judging by the look of that crab, i dont think thats a molt i think the mantis killed it the night before. you could try setting a bottle trap like this one.

 

[markviiisvt4]

well i just found the crab again. Any idea what kinda crab it is?

 

[Tayler]

looks like another species of mithrax crab to me.

 

[markviiisvt4]

thats kinda what i was thinking, but that means i still have a noisy shrimp

 

[BengBear]

Mark,
Are you trying to get the pistol out of your tank? Easy way out is find out which rock the shrimp take refuge.

 

[rlf_racing]

Thats not a mithrax crab. By the looks of it, could be a gorilla crab. Look at the claws, the body is to white and the claws are very dark.

 

[markviiisvt4]

i dont' really mind the pistol in there nothing he hasn't bothered any thign so far, just wish i'd seen him. Maby i will take the rock to the fuge.

As for the crab I thought gorilla at first but i can't find any pics that resemble it. It has the little spoons on the tip od his claws but also has the litlle teeth to.

 

[rlf_racing]

Spoons or cups on crabs claws doesn't make them reef safe. Some crabs with that type of claws have teeth within those claws to hold onto live prey. So if you find that crab get him out and put in your fuge. If it is a pistol shrimp, it might not reside in a rock. It might reside under the rock. When the lights are out on your tank, take a flash light to it like a fine tooth comb. Then when you see somthing unfamilar to you, then you know where to look when the lights are on. Also it could be a small mantis shrimp. Some at night close up the front of their hole with shells, sand, and whatever else is small to cover up their entrance. I know my small mantis does that at night. So goodluck on hunting down those culprits.

 

[markviiisvt4]

Thanks for the info. I'll try the old glass trap trick to get that crab outa there. The shimp I'm not to worried about yet I'd just like to geta look at him.