Mystery Crab

[DMBillies]

I know this thread might be entirely worthless without pictures (can't get one), but I'm going to try it anyway. I found a crab (just a little smaller than a normal emeral crab) that is mostly cream/tan colored in my 46 bow. It had one big dark brown band around its claws and dark brown/black spots at all of the joints on it's back legs. It's back legs are a little bit hairy and it's claws look like an emerald crabs (not serrated). It's carapace is a little bit bumpy (also like an emerald crab). In fact, for all purposes I would just say it is an emerald crab if the coloring wasn't so different. I haven't really noticed anything wierd happening in the tank and I haven't added rock in probably 3 months (so I think he must have been in there a while and managed to sneak through in quarantine). Just wanted to get an ID and find out if I should be worried about him for any reason. If I can get a picture, I'll post one.

 

[SRT80]

porcalin (sp?) crab maybe?

 

[DMBillies]

SRT80- I'm pretty sure it is not one of them. I've seen them in stores before. This guys body was almost entirely tan. Porcelain crabs I've seen look more reddish-brown and have really flat claws.

I've read that it the have the pincer-like claws (not serrated) they aren't usually harmful. He's still pretty small, so I'm not all that worried, but I'm always interested in the critters that manage to hitchhike into a tank.

 

[aquaman67]

Look like this?

If so, it's a gorilla crab, a pest.

 

[KAiNE]

If it looks like that or has more black to it get it out.

I have video I'll dig up of one eating a torch polyp.... i speared him after the video and the polyp recovered (even though it was half gone!).

 

[KAiNE]

Check this.... you may need to "rt click, save as" to get it to play/download.

http://cjszoo.com/ReefPics/Bad Crab.MOV

He ate half the polyp before I saw it happening.

 

[DMBillies]

Thanks for the help guys (cool video) but I'm pretty sure he isn't a gorilla crab either. Only his legs are hairy and otherwise his shell is bumpy but smooth. The tips of the claws are tan like the rest of him with a band that goes around the claw right behind where the top pincher attaches. I know a lot of people would say to just finish him off and be safe rather than sorry, but I feel bad killing something that hasn't proven to be a pest yet. I'll keep trying to get a pic. He wasn't out last after the lights went off, but I could just see him inside of his little den (so he seems to be sticking to the same spot... which will make him easy to "remove" if need be).