Can someone please help me identify this crab.

[NemoNano]

Hi Guys,

I picked up some live rock this weekend and found a couple of crabs on it. Not to sure of I should keep them. Do you know what kind of crabs these are? Here is a picture.

Thanks

Eric

 

[incysor]

With the shape and the dark claws of the first one it's probably a bad guy.

Some type of xanthid crab. Nearly all of them are not reef safe.

It's hard to tell about the greenish one. If it's claws are darker than the rest of it, it's also probably not reef safe. If they're the same color it could be an emerald crab, which would be ok.

B

 

[NemoNano]

Thanks for the reply Incysor,

I am running a FOWRL tank would this crab be ok for that?

Thanks,

Eric

 

[incysor]

Not really. Xanthids can and will kill fish. It may take awhile for the crab to get large enough to go after your fish, depending of course on the type and size of fish you have.

B

 

[NemoNano]

Here is a better picture, I found the crab trying to kill one of my hermit crabs. I had to get rid of the crab.

 

[Chubosco]

I found one exactly like that with a little more green. It was in some macro I bought and it scared me so bad that I dropped it into the sink and it slid down into the garbage disposal. There was no way I was sticking my hand down there. I just remember it was smiling before I dropped it. I'm not kidding, look close at the first picture. These things smile. I didn't want it coming out (like it could) so well... my girlfriend is really scared of everything so... you know to protect her I hit the switch.

 

[Abarnswell]

Ouch!!