Crab ID !!

lReef_lKeeper · 02/11/2008, 12:42 PM

does anyone know what type of crab this bad boy is ?? i found him when i rescaped my tank. he had completely elcosed him self into a rock in the tank using pieces or rubble.

when i agitate it, he closes up real tight so i am thinging he is some type of box crab ??

kar93 · 02/11/2008, 01:04 PM

What are its legs like? hairy
claws?

lReef_lKeeper · 02/11/2008, 01:15 PM

legs have very fine hairs, but they are there. and the claws are rounded at the ends with white tips. they also have small almost serrated sections near the tips. when it closes up the legs all get tucked under the body and the claws go around the mouth area under the body. at first i thought it was just an emerald crab, but i really dont think that it is now.

kar93 · 02/11/2008, 01:24 PM

It could be a gorilla, I would put him in the sump until you get a positive idea.

lReef_lKeeper · 02/11/2008, 01:25 PM

that is were he is for now. thanks for the quick replies though.

lhoy · 02/11/2008, 01:27 PM

Post in invertebrates and see if Leslie H. will respond. ID'ing crabs to species is tough and I have seen much of Leslie's contributions. The whole notion of hairy = bad is nonsense btw.

Lee

TellyFish · 02/11/2008, 01:38 PM

Either way, he doesn't look very reef-safe.

galibore · 02/11/2008, 01:47 PM

Yes looks like a Gorilla crab to me, but I'm no expert.

sufunk · 02/11/2008, 01:54 PM

I've had that EXACT same beady eyed little bugger in my 36g for 3 years!

I see him about once every 3-4 months but he is quick as lightning! I can never get close to him before he ducks back under the rocks. About 6 months ago, he was a millisecond away from ending up skewered on a fondue stick but he got away again.

I dont think he has ever done any damage in my tank though although i have had a few zoo's disappear over the years.

kar93 · 02/11/2008, 03:20 PM

come to think of it, he could be an acro eating crab by the look of his red eyes.

lReef_lKeeper · 02/11/2008, 07:08 PM

this thing is LARGE !! i would estimate it to be about 1" from face to rear and 1 1/2" - 2" across the body.

Paintbug · 02/11/2008, 07:51 PM

thats an Xanthid sp. crab. they are usually very destructive, and not at all reef safe.

lReef_lKeeper · 02/11/2008, 08:10 PM

he just did not look like he fit into the reef, so he is outta there !! guess he is going down the toilet unless anyone wants him. probably good mantis shrimp food !!

Mikro · 02/11/2008, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Paintbug
thats an Xanthid sp. crab. they are usually very destructive, and not at all reef safe.

Just curios, what does the "sp" mean?

crpeck · 02/12/2008, 01:06 AM

Safest rule of thumb with crabs is that if you didn't put him there, don't keep him there.

However IMO that crab doesn't look like a problem other than that he looks to be the type to grow very large and any large crab is a problem.

Predators, such as Xanthid, and Gorilla crabs usually have very sharp and pointed claws. I've trapped both Xanthid and Gorilla crabs out of my system and IMO this crab is neither one of those. Usually, the blunt tipped claws mean they're algae and garbage eaters.

Here's one of the best crab ID sites I've seen:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/swcrabidfaqs.htm

crpeck · 02/12/2008, 01:21 AM

p.s. the links at the top of the page under "faq" will take you a bunch more pages on crab IDs.

Yours seems to be common, but I didn't see any positive ID on the first couple of pages.

FranktheTankTx · 02/12/2008, 01:53 AM

Damn near impossible to tell... might be a Majid. I can tell you it's not a Gorilla crab. Either way, he shouldn't be in your reef tank. Sump is a good place for him.

On a side note... I think this is one of the fun parts of newer tanks. Catching hitchikers. Though sometimes it can truly be a nightmare... but isn't it cool to find creatures you didn't add to your tank personally? Very cool!!!

ACBlinky · 02/12/2008, 02:53 PM

I caught an identical crab a while back, and LeslieH ID'd it as a Xanthid -- she said it's not likely we'll ever get a species ID, it may not even be a catalogued species. I call mine TheBeast, he's a funny little guy. He lives in my 30g with a pair of maroons, and despite being HUGE, with red eyes and formidable claws, he doesn't do any damage. He waits for fish food to fall close to his cave, darts out and grabs it, and then spends the next 24h waiting for more. He doesn't wander, doesn't hurt the corals, and never interacts with the fish. I do suspect him of eating some zoas that were growing close to his lair in the 90g, but even then he didn't harm much. I think these crabs are incredibly shy, and therefore not prone to too much destruction.

Paintbug · 02/12/2008, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mikro
Just curios, what does the "sp" mean?

sp. is species. when an family of animals has not or cannot be broken down into species, the scientific name ends with sp.. something like that any way, i am not a scientist by no means

02/11/2008, 12:42 PM	#1
lReef_lKeeper lReef lKeeper Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ky Posts: 266	Crab ID !! does anyone know what type of crab this bad boy is ?? i found him when i rescaped my tank. he had completely elcosed him self into a rock in the tank using pieces or rubble. when i agitate it, he closes up real tight so i am thinging he is some type of box crab ?? __________________ _________________ Bobby 40 Breeder, 20 long sump, Bubble Magus Curve 5, EcoTech Radion XR30w and XR15w G3 Pro, ReefKeeper Lite

02/11/2008, 01:15 PM	#3
lReef_lKeeper lReef lKeeper Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ky Posts: 266	legs have very fine hairs, but they are there. and the claws are rounded at the ends with white tips. they also have small almost serrated sections near the tips. when it closes up the legs all get tucked under the body and the claws go around the mouth area under the body. at first i thought it was just an emerald crab, but i really dont think that it is now. __________________ _________________ Bobby 40 Breeder, 20 long sump, Bubble Magus Curve 5, EcoTech Radion XR30w and XR15w G3 Pro, ReefKeeper Lite

02/11/2008, 01:25 PM	#5
lReef_lKeeper lReef lKeeper Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ky Posts: 266	that is were he is for now. thanks for the quick replies though. __________________ _________________ Bobby 40 Breeder, 20 long sump, Bubble Magus Curve 5, EcoTech Radion XR30w and XR15w G3 Pro, ReefKeeper Lite

02/11/2008, 01:27 PM	#6
lhoy Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Georgetown, TX Posts: 431	Post in invertebrates and see if Leslie H. will respond. ID'ing crabs to species is tough and I have seen much of Leslie's contributions. The whole notion of hairy = bad is nonsense btw. Lee __________________ I'm not A.D.D., I'm just . . . Hey look, a Squirrel! Current Tank Info: 34 Gallon Current Solana, (2) Tunze Nanostreams 6025, (1) Koralia Nano, Current Outer Orbit 150 Watt X 2 65 Watt PC, Current Prime 1/10th Chiller, Soon to be upgraded Skimmer

02/11/2008, 01:38 PM	#7
TellyFish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Chicago 60607 Posts: 1,130	Either way, he doesn't look very reef-safe. __________________ ...and life spirals into astonishing diversity. Current Tank Info: Hawaiian inspired 109g Miracles Rimless - 100g Prop Tank - 300g total system volume

02/11/2008, 01:04 PM	#2
kar93 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lincoln Posts: 5,521	What are its legs like? hairy claws?

02/11/2008, 01:24 PM	#4
kar93 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lincoln Posts: 5,521	It could be a gorilla, I would put him in the sump until you get a positive idea.

02/11/2008, 01:47 PM	#8
galibore Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Africa Posts: 2	Yes looks like a Gorilla crab to me, but I'm no expert. __________________ Play the Reefer's ID Game - www.reefersdigest.com

02/11/2008, 01:54 PM	#9
sufunk Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Davie, Florida Posts: 2,004	I've had that EXACT same beady eyed little bugger in my 36g for 3 years! I see him about once every 3-4 months but he is quick as lightning! I can never get close to him before he ducks back under the rocks. About 6 months ago, he was a millisecond away from ending up skewered on a fondue stick but he got away again. I dont think he has ever done any damage in my tank though although i have had a few zoo's disappear over the years.

02/11/2008, 03:20 PM	#10
kar93 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Lincoln Posts: 5,521	come to think of it, he could be an acro eating crab by the look of his red eyes.

02/11/2008, 07:08 PM	#11
lReef_lKeeper lReef lKeeper Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ky Posts: 266	this thing is LARGE !! i would estimate it to be about 1" from face to rear and 1 1/2" - 2" across the body. __________________ _________________ Bobby 40 Breeder, 20 long sump, Bubble Magus Curve 5, EcoTech Radion XR30w and XR15w G3 Pro, ReefKeeper Lite

02/11/2008, 07:51 PM	#12
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	thats an Xanthid sp. crab. they are usually very destructive, and not at all reef safe. __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

02/11/2008, 08:10 PM	#13
lReef_lKeeper lReef lKeeper Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ky Posts: 266	he just did not look like he fit into the reef, so he is outta there !! guess he is going down the toilet unless anyone wants him. probably good mantis shrimp food !! __________________ _________________ Bobby 40 Breeder, 20 long sump, Bubble Magus Curve 5, EcoTech Radion XR30w and XR15w G3 Pro, ReefKeeper Lite

02/12/2008, 01:06 AM	#15
crpeck Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Clovis, CA Posts: 1,729	Safest rule of thumb with crabs is that if you didn't put him there, don't keep him there. However IMO that crab doesn't look like a problem other than that he looks to be the type to grow very large and any large crab is a problem. Predators, such as Xanthid, and Gorilla crabs usually have very sharp and pointed claws. I've trapped both Xanthid and Gorilla crabs out of my system and IMO this crab is neither one of those. Usually, the blunt tipped claws mean they're algae and garbage eaters. Here's one of the best crab ID sites I've seen: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/swcrabidfaqs.htm Last edited by crpeck; 02/12/2008 at 01:20 AM.

02/12/2008, 01:21 AM	#16
crpeck Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Clovis, CA Posts: 1,729	p.s. the links at the top of the page under "faq" will take you a bunch more pages on crab IDs. Yours seems to be common, but I didn't see any positive ID on the first couple of pages. __________________ Cathy Current Tank Info: IM Fusion 40/AI Hydra 26

02/12/2008, 01:53 AM	#17
FranktheTankTx Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 2,306	Damn near impossible to tell... might be a Majid. I can tell you it's not a Gorilla crab. Either way, he shouldn't be in your reef tank. Sump is a good place for him. On a side note... I think this is one of the fun parts of newer tanks. Catching hitchikers. Though sometimes it can truly be a nightmare... but isn't it cool to find creatures you didn't add to your tank personally? Very cool!!! __________________ Frank the Tank "What, I thought we were in the trust tree... in the nest? Are we not?" Current Tank Info: Custom Rimless 60g (30.5"x24.5"x18.5")

02/12/2008, 02:53 PM	#18
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	I caught an identical crab a while back, and LeslieH ID'd it as a Xanthid -- she said it's not likely we'll ever get a species ID, it may not even be a catalogued species. I call mine TheBeast, he's a funny little guy. He lives in my 30g with a pair of maroons, and despite being HUGE, with red eyes and formidable claws, he doesn't do any damage. He waits for fish food to fall close to his cave, darts out and grabs it, and then spends the next 24h waiting for more. He doesn't wander, doesn't hurt the corals, and never interacts with the fish. I do suspect him of eating some zoas that were growing close to his lair in the 90g, but even then he didn't harm much. I think these crabs are incredibly shy, and therefore not prone to too much destruction. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.