Should I pull it out?

[jasper24]

While feeding my tank today I noticed some small hairy legs sticking out of a hole in my LR and stealing food from a ricordia polyp. From the size of the legs the creature appears to be smaller than a dime. All I can see is the legs from time to time. I am assuming that it is some type of crab. I can not think of anything else that it can be. The rock would be easy to remove. Would you pull the rock and try to get the creature out and identify it? Also if I pull the rock out how can I get the creature to come out of the hole without harming the ricordia polyps on the rock? Thanks!

 

[craw_daddy]

little legs

little legs

it may be a juvenile brittle star. I have noticed them in my tank too recently. keep looking!

 

[jasper24]

These legs are short an hairy. I have not seen the body but I am inclined to think that it is some sort of crab. If I pull the rock and dip it in fresh water will it hurt the ricordia polyps? Will the "crab" jump out in fresh water?

 

[supernareg]

pull it out
get a syringe, flush freshwater through the hole... try avoiding the rics... although if it touches them nothing will happen, but avoid it. then get a needle and pry the crab out, then flush it down the toilet. crabs = not reef safe. althought people say SOME are... the onlythings we know for sure that is safe is hermits.

 

[gfk]

always pull out...

oh um i have a ton of mini stars that are fine, but if its a crab id take it out

 

[roons]

if its hairy legs its usually bad, i just found one of these crabs on my candy cane that had gone un noticed for over 6 months, i was wondering why it wasnt doing so well................he was eating it ! =( i dont flush them tho , i banish them to the fuge.......

you could also try turkey baster with boiling hot water...........that will get him moving

 

[MAthU]

i found a crab, in my live rock too, last night!, its pritty big, bigger than 2"...it was pushing a long rock out of its hole...but failed.
should i ge rid of it?

 

[JENnKerry]

then flush it down the toilet

Come one man....that's just not humane.
I agree that you should get it out. Sounds like it could be a gorilla crab. I agree that you should pull the rock out. But by no means should you flush it. If you have a sump or fuge you could put it in there.

 

[roons]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6554506#post6554506 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MAthU
i found a crab, in my live rock too, last night!, its pritty big, bigger than 2"...it was pushing a long rock out of its hole...but failed.
should i ge rid of it?

send in the troops

 

[lossman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6554563#post6554563 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JENnKerry


Come one man....that's just not humane.
I agree that you should get it out. Sounds like it could be a gorilla crab. I agree that you should pull the rock out. But by no means should you flush it. If you have a sump or fuge you could put it in there.

This is true, flushing a polyp eating gorilla crab is inhumane!! I vote for the trash compactor!!!

After loosing a number of lovely ricordia and discosomas to a hitchiker gorilla crab, I find nothing inhumane about sending it to a timely demise via the trash compactor.