ID help - Little Critter with mask :)

[Bilk]

Purchased a nice colony of white and green lobophylia and this guy was hitchhiking :uhoh2:

Anyone know what he is? Looks like some kind of spider.



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[Adetia]

Gall crab?

 

[Calappidae]

Isopod?

Is there anyway to get more pictures of different angles. How big is he.

 

[Bilk]

He's about a 1/4" or so long. Gall crab is the call Thanks Guess they're commonly found in lobo and other LPS. Now what to do with him?

I believe they are detrivors, but they do create pockets in corals by somehow forcing the skeleton to grow that way, in order to create a funnel for food to accumulate. I don't believe they eat the coral, but I guess they could irritate it.

 

[Betta132]

If it was me, I'd put it back... Just keep an eye on the coral. If it looks irritated, you can probably poke the crab out with a toothpick and sump it or something.

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Yeah, I'd keep it too, if it were me. It looks like it's an interesting creature; not something you see everyday. Watching weird creatures is one of the best parts of the hobby. If you decide you don't want to risk it in your DT, I hope you give the crab a good home with someone who would appreciate it. I hope you don't kill it.