Crab ID (with pics)

[ScottL4619]

Can anyone tell me what type of crab this is and if it is reef safe please? I'm assuming it was a hitchhiker, as there has not been any live rock or coral rocks added recently:

 

[natan]

Cant tell u exactly what is it, But its NOT one of thaws nice ones you can safely keep in a reef. Try to get it out befor it grows big enough to kill things.

 

[lhoy]

If you can't identify it, how do you know it isn't reef safe? All the myths about hairy, certain claws, etc. are not factual.

Lee

 

[Leaky01ch]

This Crab above that is in my tank looks exactly like an Emerald Crab but red. I had an emerald crab in my tank for a few months until I had a water over heating problem and it died. Could there be any connection to the old crab?

 

[Guygettnby]

it looks to me like a Xanthidae Crab. also known as a gorilla crab, but this one does not seem to be hairy. i have a few of these in my specimen tank. defilently not reef safe if you have shrimp and such. but they dont seem to bother fish when they are small, they like to hide most the time in rocks. these crabs are actually kinda cool and yet seem to be very aggressive during feeding time.

were did your live rock come from?

 

[Leaky01ch]

I think the live rock is fiji rock. But it has been in my tank for almost 2 years now and this little crab just showed up for the first time about a month ago.

 

[Guygettnby]

did you add any macroalgea or anything to your tank recently? i got some of mine from buying a lump of macroalgea from my LFS.

regardless i dont think your really gonna have too many problems with him unless you have shrimp that are the same size or smaller. do you have any corals in your tank? if you dont have any corals or stuff smaller then he is then dont worry about him too much and just let him be part of your clean up crew until he gets bigger.

 

[ReavesInc]

He's a red emerald crab, reef safe-ish watch him when he gets bigger, might pull at some corals.

 

[Leaky01ch]

No I haven't added any microagea. the only thing that has been add is some rock that was sitting in a garage for months, and some snails. I don't have any corals, but am hoping to add some in the future. Thanks for all the info I really appreciate it.

 

[650-IS350]

looks like a Red Rock Crab... opportunistic and when it gets bigger that appetite grows with it...

 

[ReavesInc]

I found this at melev's reef

Photo by Marc Levenson

This is a Black Fingered Mud crab - Xanthid crab. He arrived on a coral when small, but has grown quickly. This guy is black in real life; this picture is misleading. His pinchers remind me of a Mithrax crab, but it has 'teeth' within the claws. Because he can't be trusted, he's been transferred into my refugium where I hope he'll be happy and trouble-free. Xanthids are Not Reef-safe.

 

[Leaky01ch]

Ok well now that I know he has to go, Does anyone have any recommendations on how to get the little guy out of my tank? I hardly ever see him. In fact I was amazed that I got a photo op last week.

 

[650-IS350]

Shot glass, tilted a little bit on a large rock where the crab is often seen at, baited with food... He climbs in/ slides down to get food and cant climb up due to slick surface of glass... then just pull out shot glass with crab... has to be done at night time , might be done for a couple of days till crab is caught

 

[ReavesInc]

you shouldn't get rid of him, just place him into your sump or fuge

 

[kar93]

Put it in the sump
I hate getting rid of hikers if there is one i dont want in the DT i put it in the fuge