White crab on sps

[Kellyh14]

Found this guy on my new pink birds nest, good or bad hitchhiker? I could see a big white circle in the middle of the coral when I walked by my tank with the lights off, I did not see him at all when I put the frag in. I got worried and put him in a 5 gal bucket. Tried googling it and I couldn't really find any crabs that looked just like him

 

[bluecoyote79]

Looks like a porcelain crab/acro crab...harmless.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/12/inverts


http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/coral-crabs-are-heroic-lil-protectors

 

[bluecoyote79]

I had one that was a different color, and it was fine. Just stayed in its acro and ate the occasional scrap of food.

 

[biggles]

It's a Tetralia species, great little commensal crabs that live in your acros doing no harm. The Trapezia species favor stylos and seris but will reside in acros when no free stylos etc are in the tank.

Go to the bottom of the page to see the commensal crab pics

commensal crabs

 

[Kellyh14]

Thanks everyone I'll put him back in, I got worried and acted fast by pulling him out lol

 

[Arkayology]

I love these little crabs. I have seen them keep things out of my SPS colonies including pods, hermits, snails, and other crabs. I was also reading that they are attributed to helping combat the crown of thorns as well. I am always asking my LFS to find me more.

 

[Kellyh14]

I love these little crabs. I have seen them keep things out of my SPS colonies including pods, hermits, snails, and other crabs. I was also reading that they are attributed to helping combat the crown of thorns as well. I am always asking my LFS to find me more.

I fished him out late last night and left him in the bucket water from acclimating the corals, just threw him back in with a tiny starfish that was also in the bucket haha thanks everyone for the quick responses