Hepatus Epheliticus?

[prugs]

I was at the lfs when I spotted this very interesting crab. It was sold to me as a porcelain crab. It didn't look like any pictures I've seen of a porcelain crab. When I got it home & did some research, turns out to be a Hepatus Epheliticus.
Also know as: shame face crab, dolly varden crab, calico crab.
The crab is about 3" across. From what I've found so far the male crab would only get to 5" max.
I was going to try this crab as a cleanup crew for a pair of blue throat triggers. Would this be a danger, to 5-6" blue throat triggers?

 

[rshimek]

Hi,

The crab is a predator and probably prefers live snails as food. If starved it will probably try to catch and eat any fish that it can after the lights go out.

 

[prugs]

Thanks Ron,
I don't plan on feeding live snails. Would this crab survive living on trigger fair, clams, shrimp & krill that I feed my triggers?
Would it require water quality w/nitrates below a certain level?
Also I saw at a dealers sight they rated them as 10 out of 10, as far as being very hardy.
I am leaning on keeping the crab if its possible to keep it healthy.

 

[rshimek]

Hi,

Most crabs will scavenge food, but they will also try for livies... It will need a lot of food to stay healthy; probably the equivalent, or more, volume of food as a fish of its size. They are reef animals and need reef conditions - low nitrates, etc.

 

[prugs]

Thanks again Ron,
I'll take him back & get a credit.

 

[rshimek]

Hi,

Wise plan.

 

[gruntface]

I have a big one and like him alot. I keep him in his on tank. I cant believe a LFS sold him as a porcelain crab.

 

[StupidsReef]

Thank you Ron Shimek for your insite on this crab. One of my LFS has 6 of them. While they could only tell me that that the crab was $14.99, they did at least have it named correct. My wife wanted one every so, due to the white shell dotted with brite purple. Once again, glad I passed and researched first.