identify a mysterious crab
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Invertebrates
Forum Description: This is the place to ask questions about invertebrates.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1078
Printed Date: November 30 2024 at 11:41pm
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Topic: identify a mysterious crab
Posted By: peiji
Subject: identify a mysterious crab
Date Posted: October 01 2003 at 7:49am
| last night I was looking at my tank and noticed a black claw reach around a rock and start picking at some coral. I'm assuming he wasn't eating the coral but picking at the rock. I hope I'm right. Anyway, that was weird because I've recently moved my tank twice and never saw it. It's pretty good sized too. (I did finally find a live strawberry crab that I put in the tank a couple years ago and never saw again). I haven't bought any new rock for about 3 years. I can't imagine where it came from. I didn't get a great look at the body but it's legs were very hairy and I swear it looked exactly like a huge underwater spider with black claws. Any idea what it is? Could it be bad? I'm not worried about it taking out any livestock. Could it hurt the corals though? |
Replies:
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: October 01 2003 at 9:54am
 ...Coral is livestock!
Beware! Watch the coral and the crab. Many crabs that come in as tiny hitchhikers on LR do very well in our reefs. Unfortunately, as they grow so does their appetite and many of them start eating coral and even catching sleeping fish  . But don't despair, if you suspect it is getting hungry for it's tankmates, it can be captured in a baited trap.
BTW - What is happening with your mushrooms? ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: peiji
Date Posted: October 01 2003 at 10:08am
| thanks. My mushrooms are still there but doesn't seem any better or worse. My red ones and watermelons are doing fine now but my once huge leafy one and tons of purple ones are still looking pretty bad. Overall, the rest of my tank looks perfectly happy. |
Posted By: Ryan Willden
Date Posted: October 01 2003 at 11:02am
| If you can't identify it, sometimes it's better to just get rid of it. That's what I've learned. The hard way... |
Posted By: Beware
Date Posted: October 01 2003 at 6:00pm
| I know exactly what you are talking about...I had one in my rock too...its now in my sump because I couldn't bring myself to kill him...I have never taken it to anyone to have it identified...but from my description the LFS guy said it was a Rock Crab...I pulled him out of the rock by shoving him out of the holes with a screwdriver and pliers...By the way Marcus he came with the rock I got from you... |
Posted By: Beware
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 5:16pm
| I Now Have A Mystery Crab Of My Own (Again). Its Very Small About 1 in. From Leg To Leg...Its White With A Little Light Green On The Top In A Pattern Resembling Camoflauge...Its Legs Are White And Light Green Striped...Its Currently living In My Sump Sock...The Sump Is Taken By My Rock Crab...Beware |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: October 20 2003 at 8:49pm
That mottled white crab could be okay. I had one like that once. It burrowed in the sand and didn't seem to cause any problems that I can recall. Crabs are very interesting tank inhabitants. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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