Shame face crab: yes or no?

[seanothon]

Was at the LFS yesterday and saw they had a very interesting crab in a tank all by itself. With a little research i found it to be a Shame Face Crab (Calappa granulata). I like oddballs like this but am concerned about its descructive reputation. The guy at the store said it was demolishing someones tank and they gave it to the store. The only thing that i would worry that the crab could kill is my Longhorn Cowfish. The crab was about 3" wide and 1.5" thick. My Cowfish is about 5.5"

Another reason i am considering this is that people kept saying that my White-spotted Hermit Crab (Dardanus megistos) would also kill the cowfish and it is still fine. Also, i read they are mainly concerned with eating crustations, not fish.

Advice?

 

[LeslieH]

Take a look at the claws. If it's really a Calappa one claw will look like a nutcracker and the other will look like a vise grip. They specialize in eating molluscs & other crustaceans. One claw hangs on to the prey while the other is modified to break the shell. They tend to get large & are aggressive in persuit of food.

 

[seanothon]

hmm. It looks more like a calico crab (Hepatus epheliticus) although i still haven't gotten a good look at the claws

 

[Scott-CapeCoral]

I caught one at a local beach here in florida. I never saw it eat a coral. But I'll warn you that it will flip rocks and frags over very easily like a stone crab does when it pushes like it's bench pressing. One more warning, they grow extremely fast. I caught mine at about 2 inches across, 6 months later it was atleast 6-7 inches across. It molted about every 3 weeks.

Gave him away to another reefer since then..

 

[LeslieH]

Here's a good shot of the claws on a Calappa: http://www.descopera.ro/dexcopera/3736753-calappa-calappa

See how the one on the left is bigger, with bigger serrations, and the moveable finger is thicker & more curved than the one on the right? It holds the shell in the right & cracks it open with the left.

 

[seanothon]

The marking on the shell are just like that of calico crab (Hepatus epheliticus). They are very closely related crabs from what i have read. It just doesn't have the shell cracking claws so i am worried it would be more inclined to go after my cowfish..

 

[rekn]

if its the same as the 1 in your avatar i, personally, wouldnt take the chance.

 

[seanothon]

if its the same as the 1 in your avatar i, personally, wouldnt take the chance.

Oh yeah? You think it would be able to grab it?

 

[650-IS350]

If it's not a pompom, porcelin, or small hermit ( scarlets ) or blue knucles, I personally won't trust it.

All crabs are opportunistic feeders.

 

[seanothon]

I don't suppose ill take the risk then... cool crab though