Reef safe hitchiker? ID Please

[GXPKY]

Found this guy today on a piece of LR, He's gorgeous, just curious if he should go to sump or if he's safe. Bout the size of a nickel with legs extended.

 

[GXPKY]

He has a tail to swim with that tucks underneath, unsure of what he is.

 

[Fretfreak13]

Its a purple porcelian crab, and a beaut at that. Reef-safe and friendly. Nice find!

 

[GXPKY]

Oh sweet, thought it might be, but wasn't for sure, or which type it was, thanks a ton, saved me a bunch of time browsing google.

 

[Bedroomgangsta]

Yes their pinchers arent even used, if you watch it eat it has like little catchers mits that it uses to swoop food in the water into its mouth. Pretty sweet. I have a Porcelain too but he hides in this piece of rock that I have and never comes out. If he did hes quite the eye catcher though. Definitely a keeper.

 

[Fretfreak13]

I keep one in my 2.5 gallon invert tank. He's my little showpiece. =)

 

[GXPKY]

He found a hole in the LR above my anemone and has been coming out for the last hour fanning with his mits. Pretty cool to watch

 

[SushiGirl]

What a great hitchhiker! I had to buy mine when I had 'em LOL.

 

[GXPKY]

The LR had probably 20 little heads of coral on it, and some sea weed and tons of coraline, and had been at the LFS in one of their small sections of display tank for the last several months, happened to see him poking out of it the other day when i was inspecting the rock closely. Figured he'd be cool, was pretty sure it was a porcelain of some sort, not bad for 7 bucks though, the LR is loaded, and he was a bonus, was only a 1 lb rock. Picked up another LR that had about 20 zoanthids, red centered, and had a plate coral growing nicely on it, it has a very light green color, hope it colors up more...but either way it seemed good for 30 bucks, has about 5 clams growing on it also.

 

[sslak]

That's an awesome crab! Congrats on the cool find!