Acro crabs. Help. To keep or not to keep??

galkito · 03/06/2012, 02:26 PM

Hello all!

I just found two crabs on my new acroporas. I keep them in the sump for now. So the question is: Should I keep them or not? Are they good or nasty? Please help...

Toddrtrex · 03/06/2012, 02:30 PM

The second one (( pictures 3 & 4 )) might be a good one -- though it looks more yellow than I am used to seeing. I am not sure about pictures 1&2 so I will not comment.

Does 3 & 4 look like the following? If so, I would leave it

seapug · 03/06/2012, 02:30 PM

I'm not sure about the one on the left but I had a red and white one like the photos on the right living in one of my acros for a while. I thought it was an awesome little creature until it disappeared one day. My flame hawkfish had a very guilty look on his face when I noticed the crab was gone.

galkito · 03/06/2012, 02:39 PM

hahaha ok... well the color is more white than yellow. The picture was taken under yellowish light. And it looks like the one Toddrtrex has... It is like it has some sort of "mask of zoro" on its head:-)

sporto0 · 03/06/2012, 02:52 PM

Showing off again I see, huh Todd? I can't mine to pose like that, he scrambles when he sees me coming. What kind of camera do you use? Again a picture worthy of Reef Keepers Mag. Well done sir.

dzhuo · 03/06/2012, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by galkito

o the question is: Should I keep them or not? Are they good or nasty? Please help...

#3 and #4 is a Tetralia nigrolineata and you can keep him in your tank with your acro. #1 and #2 is a little blurry but my guess would be a Hapalocarcinus marsupialis which I would remove.

Are you able to provide a better picture?

NYCBOB · 03/06/2012, 04:07 PM

picture 3 and 4 a keeper. it actually helps clean sps corals. very beneficial bc i have one.

davocean · 03/06/2012, 05:47 PM

The one on the left is hard to tell, but I think from memory I've seen that on the bad list just going by basic shape.
I LOVE having acro crabs, great to have, but they don't ship very well, so I think you are lucky to have them as hitchers.
Here's some more ID picks/info.
http://www.melevsreef.com/id/crabs.html

galkito · 03/06/2012, 11:14 PM

Thanks a lot guys! I will try to take pictures of the first one again today. The thing is that it is very small and my camera isn't something special...

03/06/2012, 05:47 PM	#8
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	The one on the left is hard to tell, but I think from memory I've seen that on the bad list just going by basic shape. I LOVE having acro crabs, great to have, but they don't ship very well, so I think you are lucky to have them as hitchers. Here's some more ID picks/info. http://www.melevsreef.com/id/crabs.html __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

03/06/2012, 02:30 PM	#2
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	The second one (( pictures 3 & 4 )) might be a good one -- though it looks more yellow than I am used to seeing. I am not sure about pictures 1&2 so I will not comment. Does 3 & 4 look like the following? If so, I would leave it __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

03/06/2012, 02:30 PM	#3
seapug Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 4980 ft. Posts: 7,954 Blog Entries: 1	I'm not sure about the one on the left but I had a red and white one like the photos on the right living in one of my acros for a while. I thought it was an awesome little creature until it disappeared one day. My flame hawkfish had a very guilty look on his face when I noticed the crab was gone. __________________ insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009.

03/06/2012, 02:39 PM	#4
galkito Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Cyprus / Nicosia Posts: 99	hahaha ok... well the color is more white than yellow. The picture was taken under yellowish light. And it looks like the one Toddrtrex has... It is like it has some sort of "mask of zoro" on its head:-)

03/06/2012, 02:52 PM	#5
sporto0 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. Posts: 2,924	Showing off again I see, huh Todd? I can't mine to pose like that, he scrambles when he sees me coming. What kind of camera do you use? Again a picture worthy of Reef Keepers Mag. Well done sir.

03/06/2012, 04:07 PM	#7
NYCBOB Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NYC Posts: 1,768	picture 3 and 4 a keeper. it actually helps clean sps corals. very beneficial bc i have one.

03/06/2012, 11:14 PM	#9
galkito Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Cyprus / Nicosia Posts: 99	Thanks a lot guys! I will try to take pictures of the first one again today. The thing is that it is very small and my camera isn't something special...