Can anyone ID this crab?

Hades200082 · 11/15/2009, 04:16 AM

I think it must be a stow-away on the live rock.

I need to know if it's harmful in a reef aquarium or not.

Hades200082 · 11/15/2009, 04:32 AM

I've been doing some more searching around and think it may be a Xanthid? Can anyone confirm/rebuke?

Denbf58 · 11/15/2009, 07:03 AM

looks like Xanthid to me they are known to bore in to live rock. i have a few in my wife's tank some times i see pushing pieces rock out of there hole. over time this cam weaken the rock

Hades200082 · 11/15/2009, 07:17 AM

It comes out at night mainly. What I need to know is basically will this crab eat my corel / attack any fish I put in?

muttley000 · 11/15/2009, 08:26 AM

Those claws look like they could do some damage. I'm no expert, but I'd remove it to the sump while I tried to figure it out.

dwculp · 11/15/2009, 09:57 AM

Just as a general rule, pointy claws = bad crab.

mfinn · 11/15/2009, 10:42 AM

I've found many crabs like that one,in live rock and corals with live rock attached.
While they are good scavengers, they also may go after some types of corals or even fish as they get bigger.
I've lost more than just a few zoanthid frags to crabs.
Some people think a sump is a good place for these guys.

barnabus's gimp · 11/15/2009, 10:48 AM

That is definitely a xanthid crab, it will destroy anything you have in your tank. I would take it out... those are really good for sumps and such though.

joe click · 11/15/2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hades200082

It comes out at night mainly. What I need to know is basically will this crab eat my corel / attack any fish I put in?

i had 1 of them don:t no what it was called did mager damage to my tank eats snails corals fish get rid of him now

Timmy77 · 11/15/2009, 01:02 PM

Get it out ASAP! Put it in your sump if you want to keep it.

JMLewis · 11/15/2009, 01:38 PM

Pretty sure it will eat just about any coral you put in the tank, ive read they like sps especialy

BANANAHANDS · 11/15/2009, 07:24 PM

Definitely a Zoanthid Crab. VERY bad, get it out of there.

Hades200082 · 11/16/2009, 02:21 AM

Ok... now I know what it is I can't find the damn thing.... what is the best way to take it out alive?

Also, what does SPS stand for.... seen people use it a few times but don't know what it stands for.

JMLewis · 11/16/2009, 02:31 AM

Small Polyped Stony corals, Acroporas etc

mykdf · 11/16/2009, 04:42 PM

I agree that it looks to be a xanthid. I have more than I care to admit in my tank. They are evil little buggers that I take joy in catching and stepping on. They kill my snails, small fish, and hermits. They destroy my live rock by tearing it up (they make their homes bigger and bigger).
There are a few ways to catch them. 1) bottle trap. 2) pull out the rock they are in and soak that in hypo or hyper saline solution (although I had no luck with this method). 3) get some barbecue skewers and find their hole. Go to town on their hole until you squash them into oblivion or they run out of their hole. If they run out of their hole, you can catch them THEN squash them into oblivion.
Good luck.

Hades200082 · 11/17/2009, 02:19 AM

I'd rather not kill it if I can help it. I don't like killing things.

I think the bottle trap sounds interesting... can you explain this one?

Once caught I'd like to take it to my LFS where I got the LR from and see if they can give it a home.

mykdf · 11/18/2009, 12:35 PM

the only home they are likely to give it is in a tank with a hungry mantis but ok, I understand your reluctance to kill it. I kept a few alive for a few weeks because I didn't want to kill them either. When I couldn't find a place for them . . . well. Besides, I eat meat. hell, I even eat crab!

The bottle trick is pretty simple. Take a water bottle, cut the top 1/4 of the bottle off, turn the top upside down so the mouth piece is now sticking down into the bottle. That's the basic gist of the trap. Put some krill, silversides or shrimp in there. You can trick it out with holes, lines, doors whatever but. . .

I found that you have to starve your tank for a day or two before they'll even look at the bottle. This is also the time when the crab is most likely to kill other critters in your tank as it is--shockingly-hungry.

11/15/2009, 04:16 AM	#1
Hades200082 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 24	Can anyone ID this crab? I think it must be a stow-away on the live rock. I need to know if it's harmful in a reef aquarium or not.

11/15/2009, 07:03 AM	#3
Denbf58 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: selden N.Y. Posts: 885	looks like Xanthid to me they are known to bore in to live rock. i have a few in my wife's tank some times i see pushing pieces rock out of there hole. over time this cam weaken the rock __________________ Life is good Current Tank Info: 75gal reef ready koralia 3, 30g sump, 4b 48" t5s lighting, 29g reef with breeding pair clowns 55g reef 55g freshwater

11/15/2009, 09:57 AM	#6
dwculp Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Carrollton, TX Posts: 2,338	Just as a general rule, pointy claws = bad crab. __________________ Remember, it will only get worse before it gets worse. Current Tank Info: 10 years - Currently have a 100 FOWLR

11/16/2009, 04:42 PM	#15
mykdf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Illinois Posts: 86	I agree that it looks to be a xanthid. I have more than I care to admit in my tank. They are evil little buggers that I take joy in catching and stepping on. They kill my snails, small fish, and hermits. They destroy my live rock by tearing it up (they make their homes bigger and bigger). There are a few ways to catch them. 1) bottle trap. 2) pull out the rock they are in and soak that in hypo or hyper saline solution (although I had no luck with this method). 3) get some barbecue skewers and find their hole. Go to town on their hole until you squash them into oblivion or they run out of their hole. If they run out of their hole, you can catch them THEN squash them into oblivion. Good luck. __________________ Great story, Gordy. Current Tank Info: 55g with 29g sump, 300 watts MH

11/18/2009, 12:35 PM	#17
mykdf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Illinois Posts: 86	the only home they are likely to give it is in a tank with a hungry mantis but ok, I understand your reluctance to kill it. I kept a few alive for a few weeks because I didn't want to kill them either. When I couldn't find a place for them . . . well. Besides, I eat meat. hell, I even eat crab! The bottle trick is pretty simple. Take a water bottle, cut the top 1/4 of the bottle off, turn the top upside down so the mouth piece is now sticking down into the bottle. That's the basic gist of the trap. Put some krill, silversides or shrimp in there. You can trick it out with holes, lines, doors whatever but. . . I found that you have to starve your tank for a day or two before they'll even look at the bottle. This is also the time when the crab is most likely to kill other critters in your tank as it is--shockingly-hungry. __________________ Great story, Gordy. Current Tank Info: 55g with 29g sump, 300 watts MH

11/15/2009, 04:32 AM	#2
Hades200082 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 24	I've been doing some more searching around and think it may be a Xanthid? Can anyone confirm/rebuke?

11/15/2009, 07:17 AM	#4
Hades200082 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 24	It comes out at night mainly. What I need to know is basically will this crab eat my corel / attack any fish I put in?

11/15/2009, 08:26 AM	#5
muttley000 MTS Sufferer! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 1,926	Those claws look like they could do some damage. I'm no expert, but I'd remove it to the sump while I tried to figure it out.

11/15/2009, 10:42 AM	#7
mfinn Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Olympia. WA. Posts: 8,648	I've found many crabs like that one,in live rock and corals with live rock attached. While they are good scavengers, they also may go after some types of corals or even fish as they get bigger. I've lost more than just a few zoanthid frags to crabs. Some people think a sump is a good place for these guys.

11/15/2009, 10:48 AM	#8
barnabus's gimp Moved On Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Orange County Ca Posts: 578	That is definitely a xanthid crab, it will destroy anything you have in your tank. I would take it out... those are really good for sumps and such though.

11/15/2009, 01:02 PM	#10
Timmy77 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Tracy, MN Posts: 95	Get it out ASAP! Put it in your sump if you want to keep it.

11/15/2009, 01:38 PM	#11
JMLewis Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Temecula, Ca Posts: 443	Pretty sure it will eat just about any coral you put in the tank, ive read they like sps especialy

11/15/2009, 07:24 PM	#12
BANANAHANDS Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 116	Definitely a Zoanthid Crab. VERY bad, get it out of there.

11/16/2009, 02:21 AM	#13
Hades200082 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 24	Ok... now I know what it is I can't find the damn thing.... what is the best way to take it out alive? Also, what does SPS stand for.... seen people use it a few times but don't know what it stands for.

11/16/2009, 02:31 AM	#14
JMLewis Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Temecula, Ca Posts: 443	Small Polyped Stony corals, Acroporas etc

11/17/2009, 02:19 AM	#16
Hades200082 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 24	I'd rather not kill it if I can help it. I don't like killing things. I think the bottle trap sounds interesting... can you explain this one? Once caught I'd like to take it to my LFS where I got the LR from and see if they can give it a home.