Crab with infection? Parasite? Hitchhiker? Growth?

[Gordonious]

I have what I believe to be a Strawberry crab (Neoliomera pubescens) who now has something.. on it, in it, infecting it...something. You can hopefully see below what is typically a red animal has now brown areas puffed up. The areas that seem to be infected are the right and left of the three top body plates and the second segment of the first left walking leg.(forgive my lack of technical terms, I could do better with an insect)

<CENTER><A HREF="http://www.gordonious.com/RC/HPIM6693c.JPG"><IMG SRC="http://www.gordonious.com/RC/HPIM6693cs.JPG"><BR>Click for larger image.</A><BR></CENTER>

If you need more photos please let me know. I can get different angles or possibly closer if needed.

I will soon be separating this guy from the my main system incase this is something that can effect other crustaceans. I have a good amount of hermits in with it and haven't seen anything on them, but then again they are very small zebra hermits that I haven't examined closely.

Jon

 

[Gordonious]

I forgot to mention. You may notice small white spiracles on its back as well. These are small feather dusters you see as hitch hikers often on the glass. They have been present on it since the time I put it in my tank. I can't imagine them having caused much trouble, but I suppose they could have irritated the crustacean.

 

[Gordonious]

Not a soul huh?

 

[Gordonious]

Here is another angle. Perhaps it will help.

<A HREF="http://www.gordonious.com/RC/HPIM6694c.JPG"><IMG SRC="http://www.gordonious.com/RC/HPIM66934s.JPG"></A>

 

[CapitalO]

Yea thats very strange.. I initially thought it may be sponges, although there are no visible pores. I would guess its some kind of fungal growth; If I were you, I would isolate the crab as you said and wait for him to molt (elevating the iodine levels in your quarantine tank may help too). With any luck, it will come off along with the molt.

Also, I agree the white dots appear to be harmless spirorbid worms

 

[Gordonious]

It has become more important to me that I identify what ever the heck this stuff is as it is taking over my crab and also becoming pretty predominate in the tank in other areas. The tank all of this is in is currently a single tank system(it isn't connected to other tanks), but I had planned to plumb it to the rest of my system very soon. There had been very little light on the tank. I have an incandescent lamp outside of the tank which I leave on from time to time, but that is about it.

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Here it is again and you can see what it looks like pretty well in this image. <BR>
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You can see in the rock directly behind it there is more of this stuff growing on the rock. <BR>
<A HREF="http://www.gordonious.com/RC/HPIM6792c.JPG"><IMG SRC="http://www.gordonious.com/RC/HPIM6792cs.JPG"></A><BR>
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This rock is a different one that I often see many of my zebra hermits clinging to. <BR>
<IMG SRC="http://www.gordonious.com/RC/HPIM6798cs.JPG"><BR>
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Please let me know what you think and pass this thread on to anyone else that may be able to further help me.

Jon

 

[WILDTHING]

Jon, it looks like a fungus to me but really I have no idea. The one thing that I think is good tho is that since its on the rocks too its probably not doing much harm to the crab, its probably only on its shell vs something eating him alive which is what I thought when you posted the second pic. Is it soft when you touch it on the rocks, scrape off easily? I think you should make a new post and include all the pics and post in a different forum or even several. I'd deffinately try Reef discussion just because it gets move hits than this forum.

good luck

 

[Gordonious]

Thanks WILDTHING, I think I will be doing that as well. I started to construct a small website with the pictures and info. Thanks for the input and I will let you know if I get around to putting my hands in the tank to feel things.

 

[WILDTHING]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9052771#post9052771 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gordonious
I will let you know if I get around to putting my hands in the tank to feel things.

:lol: :lol: :lol:

My problem is I can't keep my hands OUT of my tank.

 

[CapitalO]

Im fairly positive those are just sponges, the pores are clearly visible. Ive never seen them on an invert like that though.. should come off with the next molt. Also not having the tank lit will really favor sponge growth.

 

[TitusvileSurfer]

That is really bizarre, I hope you figure out the problem!