I found a crab that it kind of looks like an Emerald Crab but this one is red and has black pointy claws, the body it is about 1-1/2 in. in diameter, can some one tell me if it reef safe? I saw it eating a fish but I do not know if the fish had died and the crab had it for dinner of the crab actually kill the fish.
Reef safe crab???
- Thread starter echo1964
- Start date
Sugar Magnolia
New Member
No crab is reef safe. ;-) Black pointy claws just cement that fact. More than likely it's a xanthid species of crab and they will eat anything they can get those black pointy claws on. It very well could have gotten the fish while it was sleeping, or as you mentioned just lucked out and stumbled upon a free meal. Xanthids hunt down food and catch it an kill it. I lost approximately 30 snails to a xanthid crab over the course of 18 months.
Got a sump? Toss it in there. No sump? Sacrifice it to the porcelin gods. Even better, if you know anyone that keeps Oscars, xanthids make great Oscar food. :razz:
btw, welcome to NT.
Got a sump? Toss it in there. No sump? Sacrifice it to the porcelin gods. Even better, if you know anyone that keeps Oscars, xanthids make great Oscar food. :razz:
btw, welcome to NT.
JeffDubya
New Member
Skip helped me ID one of these tonight. Real camoflauge looking, dark to black claws, really pointy, hairy legs... clearly hadn't shaved in weeks. I actually had two fingers on it today, but because I hadn't made an ID yet, I wanted to capture and isolate it.
If I knew then what I know now, I think I probably would have just smooshed it. GORILLA CRAB MUST DIE!!!
Question, so how can I trap this thing? I am trying to put out larger pieces of food... uncooked calamari rings on bamboo skewers to keep them in place. So far, my Nassarius sails and hermits are very pleased with my efforts.
If I knew then what I know now, I think I probably would have just smooshed it. GORILLA CRAB MUST DIE!!!
Question, so how can I trap this thing? I am trying to put out larger pieces of food... uncooked calamari rings on bamboo skewers to keep them in place. So far, my Nassarius sails and hermits are very pleased with my efforts.
JeffDubya
New Member
An update on my little bastard!
For weeks now, I have been trying to catch this guy. I thought I almost had him a time or two, but usually he stays just far enough away that I cannot reach him. If I *can* reach him, it's in a manner that will take some time to jockey around rocks and such, and he always scurries away laughing.
Well, this morning I got the last laugh. Not permanently (!!) but I ended up taking one of his big pinchers. He is TOUGH! I thought for sure I had squished the life out of the little everything-vore but nope, all I got was a pincher for my troubles. Well, at least he understands that I'm serious now.
I'll post a photo if I can later.
It's a shallow victory, no doubt... but I'll take what I can get where he is concerned. What I need is a tiny speargun.
For weeks now, I have been trying to catch this guy. I thought I almost had him a time or two, but usually he stays just far enough away that I cannot reach him. If I *can* reach him, it's in a manner that will take some time to jockey around rocks and such, and he always scurries away laughing.
Well, this morning I got the last laugh. Not permanently (!!) but I ended up taking one of his big pinchers. He is TOUGH! I thought for sure I had squished the life out of the little everything-vore but nope, all I got was a pincher for my troubles. Well, at least he understands that I'm serious now.
I'll post a photo if I can later.
It's a shallow victory, no doubt... but I'll take what I can get where he is concerned. What I need is a tiny speargun.
TimSchmidt
New Member
:lol: Maybe a miniature crab cage?
little urchin
New Member
i have one too, and he lives under the bottom-most all-supporting rock...i've had a chopstick on him, but can't bring myself to squish :anxious
he's had lots of snails too
he's had lots of snails too
JeffDubya
New Member
Well I finally captured my mystery crab, which now resides in the fuge of my prop tank. At least until I can determine what he is.
I no longer think this guy is a gorilla crab. I think he may be in the mithrax family, just because it has SO MANY SIMILARITIES to my Emerald Crabs.
I would love some insight from any members who have experience with this species.
I no longer think this guy is a gorilla crab. I think he may be in the mithrax family, just because it has SO MANY SIMILARITIES to my Emerald Crabs.
I would love some insight from any members who have experience with this species.
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islandcreation
New Member
Thats a cool crab. I'd just leave him in the fuge, something to watch. :mrgreen: