Received 3 emails crabs...2 aren't green...

[foozed]

Can emails be any other color? Any ideas if the 2 non-green ones are emaralds or something else?

 

[AlSimmons]

I'm not sure whether a female would be a different color or not, but they all look like emerald crabs to me. I believe there is a red crab out there that is very similar to the green one though.

https://aquariumdepot.com/ruby-red-mithrax-crab-mithrax-sculptus/

 

[cincyjim]

I've received light/off color emerald crabs before and had no issues. I think "emerald" is used loosely.

 

[mcgyvr]

Its normal for some to not be "emerald green".

 

[foozed]

OK - thanks everyone!

 

[foozed]

I'm not sure whether a female would be a different color or not, but they all look like emerald crabs to me. I believe there is a red crab out there that is very similar to the green one though.

https://aquariumdepot.com/ruby-red-mithrax-crab-mithrax-sculptus/

It does look more like the ruby from the link you shared...seems that's ok though as comparable to emeralds...

 

[BlackTip]

#foozed

I like your profile photo....

 

[anthonys51]

They are green in the wild because of the food they eat. Then turn almost blackish in or tanks. These might be changing already. It's completely normal and ok


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[kevin21]

Also sometimes red ruby mithrax crabs get mixed in with emeralds. Possible that it could be that. They are in the same family as emeralds and are very similar in behavior

 

[foozed]

So 2 updates!

1) autocorrect from my phone changed emerald to email...so sorry for the silly original post...and...
2) one of our new emeralds gave birth tonight! Trying to post video!

Was so cool!

 

[cincyjim]

I'd like to see that! Really awesome.

 

[A sea K]

AFAIK there are at least two types of Mithrax, the Emerald crab (Mithrax sculptus) and the Red Mithrax crab (Mithrax ruber). Both pretty much share the same habits.

 

[foozed]

https://youtu.be/r9JDQCpohUY

Video didn't come out great but you can see the crab emptying its pouch.

Pretty cool! Had a snow storm of fauna in the tank.
I cut the pumps for a while to let them settle... I've read they'll all just get eaten.



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[cincyjim]

Hard to see but I could tell the crab was doing something with its pouch. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Looked more like it was eating something.

 

[Ron Reefman]

They are green in the wild because of the food they eat. Then turn almost blackish in or tanks. These might be changing already. It's completely normal and ok

Maybe in your tank, but I get my mithrax crabs wild in the Florida Keys (both emerald and ruby) and I've never seen one turn black or even get a darker green. A couple in my 65g shallow reef have been in there for a couple of years.

 

[CrayolaViolence]

yeah I have a lot of emeralds, never have had one turn black. I have had greens get lighter and turn almost pink then molt and go green again.

 

[CrayolaViolence]

I looked at the photos really closely, those crabs just look close to molting to me.