Mystery Crab

[dmolavi]

[moderator please move if this isn't the right forum]

I found this guy when I brought home a monti from my LFS today. I'm thinking maybe an acro crab, but he only has spots on his legs, not all over his body, unless he's a juvenile. Anyone have any idea what it might be?

 

[g_langley]

No idea what type, but that is one mean looking crab with the killer red eyes! One for the sump.

 

[dmolavi]

I'm not going to consign him to sump-hood based solely on the eyes...I'm hoping for a more positive ID on this critter. If he's beneficial (and friendly), I'd like him in the DT.

 

[Dkuhlmann]

IMO and IME no crab is beneficial or friendly especially in a Reef Tank! The only crab of any kind I'll allow to live in my DT is a scarlet legged hermit. All others have been removed to my sump. I've got a HUGE Green Emerald Crab living there and he rules the place. His crime was killing two different royal grammas. All of the other hermits were murdering snails and other hermits for the hell of it. To them it's fun and games.

 

[dalston]

Acro crabs are entirely beneficial. They will clean your acro colonies by blowing any sediment that falls there and they keep them pest free. The red eyes are throwing me off but it's not hairy, no black tipped pincers so it's not a teddy in disguise - - it could be ok.

 

[Betta132]

It looks to be tiny, so I'd say probably some form of acro crab. Put him back on the coral, he's fine. Far too small to hurt anything, and acro crabs are useful. This one just looks like a ghost of some kind.

 

[Nickjwes]

I'm not an expert but I found a hitchhiker that looked similar and had different colors depending on lighting and etc. I noticed him after introducing live rock and thought he would be fine. Rarely saw him but then I noticed the gravel was being rearranged under the corals and love rock. After observing him for a little bit (the small amount I could see him) and he was actually pushing gravel around and I figured whatever. After a few days I noticed things were being knocked over and rearranged and after a bit of research I believe it was a young rock crab. I pulled him and gave him back to the LFS he came from- mostly because I don't have a dump. Mine ranged from white to yellow to dark tan/brown/grey and had candy cane like legs. Not sure if that helps at all.