ID Crab please

[jsrinc]

I have a crab I just caught with the glass leaning on rock with food inserted trick. It is dark and hairy. He always hides in the rocks. I need advice on what exactly he is and if I should get rid of him. He is currently in a bowl with water. He is 2 inches wide from claw tip to tip. I have a 56 gallon tank.....coral, peppermint shrimp, snails, 1 clown, 1 red fire fish.
The closest I could find was a gorilla crab.......Thanks in advance for all comments.

 

[gone fishin]

I believe it is a gorilla crab or very close relative. I would toss him in the sump or pass him along to someone who would want him. I believe they can get quite nasty. Good luck

 

[jsrinc]

Thanks for the reply...more input from anyone??

 

[jsrinc]

nobody else knows??

 

[steve888]

Almost looks like an Emerald crab, too (they can get hairy legs like that) but wait about 24 hours and you'll probably get some more replies. It's Saturday night and people are probably doing something other than cruise Internet forums right now. :dance:

Looks exactly like a gorilla crab to me, however.

 

[whiteshark]

Hairy and pointy tip claws usually equals bad news. I'm not sure of an exact ID, but I'd be willing to bet he's gonna be nasty. I'd probably throw him in the sump myself.

 

[jsrinc]

Ok...thanks for the replys.

 

[jsrinc]

Any more comments would be appreciated as Im trying to decide what to do....

 

[jjmg]

That doesn't look like any emerald crab that I have seen. The hairy legs and pointy claws means he would be in the sump till I had a better idea of what it was. I sure wouldn't turn him loose in my display till I knew more.

 

[Boboli]

Bad !!!

 

[Spaws]

Looks like a sumper camper (sump)

 

[jsrinc]

Ive received a lot of "sump" reply's.....does anyone else agree to the gorilla crab or any other guesses??

 

[mattgumaer]

My guess. Not an emerald. Looks very different from any emerald I've ever seen. I had a bad crab recently that I tried to ID. I quickly found out that there are many, many species of crab, so specific species identification can prove difficult/impossible. I wouldn't risk it in any kind of display tank. It is likely will not be fish and/or coral safe. Be glad you caught it relatively easily and put it in your sump, take it to a lfs, etc.. Put it back in the display and my guess is you'll curse the day you did it.

Matt

 

[jsrinc]

Thanks Matt...I will not be putting him back in my display tank....it was less than 6 hrs since I put the glass in the tank to catch him....I was prepared for it to take a week +.

 

[oceanlassiter]

looks like a decorator crab.

 

[jsrinc]

ok....that's the first Ive heard of a decorator crab....anyone agree on decorator crab??

 

[gone fishin]

No.

 

[whiteshark]

Doesn't look like any decorator crab I've ever seen.

 

[jsrinc]

Thanks for the input whiteshark.....I checked several pictures on the web and concure.

 

[Betta132]

Decorators are more spider-y. That's a gorilla or close relative. Sump him.