Mystery Crab

[forstral]

I can't snap a picture of this little bugger because when the camera is around he moves quick as lightening back into his cave and when the camera is not ready or around he comes out far enough for me to see to be able to describe.

This crab is between a dime and a nickel in size. It is a whittish-gray and looks like it is wearing fur. The pinchers are black in color, I was able to get a look when he nipped my nassarius' sniffer as he was hunting for the food I had just put in for the fish.

By the description, does anyone know what type of crab it is??

 

[Woodstock]

I do not know exactly what type of crab but it sounds like a fish/coral eater. I've read that any 'hairy' or 'black clawed' crab is NOT reef safe and should be removed. Do you have a sump you can move it to? Maybe your lfs would want it?

 

[forstral]

I can't even get close enough to it to catch it. It has chosen a cave in the very bottom, center piece of my l/r. If anyone has any ideas on how to catch it without removing everything from the tank then by all means let me know.

 

[Melanie]

It sounds like a Gorilla Crab. Does it look like this?

Try to smash him with a chopstick or use a trap like this.

 

[forstral]

Not really, it has a softer look to it's body and it doesn't have the spots that are on the crab in the picture.

 

[goldenmean]

Here is a great crab ID site
Crabs

 

[BoomerD]

Pretty much NONE of the "Hitchhiker crabs" are desirable. There are a few "crab-traps" that work, although it may take a while to entice him into it.

 

[mps9506]

Also getting an exact crab ID can be nearly impossible.
A lot of times it is easier to remove the rock they are holed up in and try the soda water trick or put it in a separate tank and coax them out with food.

 

[forstral]

I remove the rock that it favors the most, I would have to tear down my whole reef and risk losing my 3 fish, 2 corals, and several snails and hermits. He favors the very bottom, middle rock in my reef.

 

[kyle1284]

ok take a glass lean it against a rock at night with some food, some kinda meat, and because of the angle he gets in but cant climb out... i have seen this with crab after crab caught

 

[lcstorc]

Hairy crab = bad
I know it may be hard to remove the rock but what are you going to think when it starts eating your corals? Easier to do it now in a controled situation than to try to rescue an injured coral.

 

[Dentoid]

I have heard that the rule of thumbs is:
Hairy shell=Bad
Smooth shell=OK
Most will say all crabs, even hermits, are not good in the reef because they are opportunistic. I don't subscribe to this line of thinking and feel that crabs are great for cleaning up the tank and are a integral part of the reef ecosystem. They can get to places fish and other invertebrate can not.

 

[forstral]

When trying to capture with a glass, would you use frozen formula variety or part of a boiled hotdog?

 

[Dentoid]

I would advise against anything terrestrial based. Moreover, no telling what kind of chemicals are in hot dogs not to mention the fat! You don't want an oil slick on the surface of your water! Stay with ocean based foods. Frozen shrimp, clam, scallop, or fish.

 

[mps9506]

I hesitate to put a hot dog in my own stomach unless I'm consuming alcohol with it , let alone my reef tank....
I would just go with a piece of shrimp or squid.

 

[forstral]

Well, I put a piece of the "red" colored formula variety. It may not be meaty but since Inky and Binky "Jacques 1 & 2" like it so much I guess they will be bait. They won't get out of the glass.

 

[forstral]

Caught the mystery crab today after switching to a shorter glass. Took pictures before taking it to the LFS; will probably post them tomorrow.

 

[Dentoid]

Woo Hoo!:whstlr:

 

[Melanie]

Good job!

 

[bluespotjawfish]

Now come and catch mine! Saw one of mine tonight, he's getting bigger and scary looking! My poor little Yashia was next to him, he was in her hole!