Small crab on Aussie Elegance?

Appaloosa1224

Appaloosa1224

New member
I bought this little Aussie Elegance about 3 weeks ago. A few days ago, I noticed while feeding that he has a little crab living on him, kinda between the folds of tissue. The crab is tiny (half size of pinky nail) and is white, except for his highlighter orange legs. He does not seem to be harming the coral in any way, but he does move the tentacles around so as to conceal himself, making it very difficult to get a photo of him. Any ideas of what he is? I don't want to remove him, but will if he is harmful to the coral.

Here is the only good photo I have been able to get

002-1.jpg
 
That is wild. I've never seen that. Maybe it's an acro crab that doesn't have a natural home, so he took up residence in the elegance??????? I'd keep a close eye on him though.
 
I was hoping you would know! I would think that if this was a acro crab he would have taken up residence in one of my SPS corals. I'll keep an eye on him and I'll try to get better photos. Maybe it's a new species :)
 
I'm sorry, but I don't know what that is. I've never seen it before. I've seen plenty of gall crabs in elegance corals, but I don't think that's what you have. I wish he'd show his face so you could get a better pic of the little fella.
 
I have had 2 of those exact crab. With brilliant organe tips on there legs. Be very carefull the 2 I had were eating my elegance corals. I lost half of one before I noticed him and had to frag the other half of the elegance to save it. That was a year ago. The crabs came in on a new elegance coral I got and then I guess transfered onto the elegance I almost lost. That elegance was 3 years old. IME that orange crab is a nasty little guy. It looks like they borrow into the tissue skeleton area. I have also had my share of gull crabs and this guy is not one of them.
 
StoneRhino said:
I have had 2 of those exact crab. With brilliant organe tips on there legs. Be very carefull the 2 I had were eating my elegance corals. I lost half of one before I noticed him and had to frag the other half of the elegance to save it. That was a year ago. The crabs came in on a new elegance coral I got and then I guess transfered onto the elegance I almost lost. That elegance was 3 years old. IME that orange crab is a nasty little guy. It looks like they borrow into the tissue skeleton area. I have also had my share of gull crabs and this guy is not one of them.
Click to expand...

Same thing here pull it out with a pair of tweezers. If not your elegance health will decline quickly. I removed mine and it's health turned around almost immediately.
 
My wife helped me when I pulled them out from the tissue with some tweezers. I didnt grab it. I scaped it out. I squished them in between my fingers when it was out of the tissue. Instead of taking a picture and helping others (Smart thing to do) I squished it outa hatred with the dmg it cause to my second favorite elegance. My wife said "Why did you do that you could have put it in jail downstairs in the refuge". I really felt like a idiot.
 
The three areas it like to stay on the coral had different looking tissue then the rest of the coral. It only altered the back side of the oral disk where the tissue meets the skeleton. The tissue alost looked digested with the white mesenterial filaments out in that area. Again this coral was 3 years old no problems with it untill this crab came around. I had to frag it to save it after the crab was removed that area became necrotic. That elegance is healthier than ever now.
 
I went crab hunting in my elegance corals for fun. I found 4 more crabs they all look the same. Here is a point that I know most of us dont know. They live inside the mouths/guts of the corals too. I had to open one of my nicer elegance corals mouth to get at this guy. Hes still alive and so are the others if you guys want more pics.

The way I get them is too start at one side of the coral and gently press down on the fresh and pull your finger along the center V of the coral. You will feel the crab in the elegance it will be moving around in the flesh. I then put a metal butter knife at the first mouth between the crab and my finger and push the crab to the knife. He popped right out the mouth beside the knife. So creepy and cool at the same time.

Oh and in case you were wondering the elegance was out fully no worse for wear 3 hours after surgery.
 

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That is freakin bizarre! It's got to be some kind of gall crab, but it's not like any I've seen. More pic's would be greatly appreciated.
 
The craziest part is they live inside the coral. I will go searching tomorrow for more. My wife needs to help me the little buggers are resourceful. I need both my hands while my wife holds and watches for movement inside the elegances with me. I have 11 elegance corals ATM so it takes guts to do this to them.
 
How about have an octopus on your tank? It's crabs nature enemies :D
I put it on my tank and it doesn't look bother the lps.. but maybe anyone could give any hint?
 
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