Hitchhiker Crab ID

eros · 10/20/2008, 04:15 AM

I got this crab as a hitchhiker from a frag swap. I'm sure he's a bad crab but I hope he's not cause he's cool looking. Anyone know?

troyman · 10/20/2008, 04:19 AM

his claws are to big to be safe

returnofsid · 10/20/2008, 05:26 AM

Claws aren't near as big as those of an Emerald Crab!!! I really can't ID it for you, however, the majority of hitch hiker crabs are bad news. Maybe a closer and clearer pic....do the claws have black tips and are tips flat or pointed? That's normally a sign of bad crab. Flat tips are more for grazing algae, pointed tips are for catching fish!!

eros · 10/20/2008, 05:36 AM

He looks similar to an emerald crab overall, just different color. I'm not worried about him catching fish, my fish are all way too big for him, he's really tiny, I just dont want him eating my corals.

SoundsFishy2me2 · 10/20/2008, 05:43 AM

Looks bad. It might be a stone crab but can't tell for sure from the pic. If he's got black tip claws that's a sign you don't wan't him. Ya' know what they say... "when in dought toss em' out"

Beach Magnolia · 10/20/2008, 07:43 AM

I had an unidentified tiny hitchhiker crab on some rock early on in my tank. I enjoyed him at first but he kept molting and getting bigger and bigger. Caught him sitting on top of a rock snapping at a fish as it went by. The final straw was when I watched him jump off a rock, reach down in the sand and pull up the leg of one of my sand sifter stars and start ripping the flesh off and eating it. (which explained the half missing legs on the two of them!). I had to rip apart the entire tank to catch him!

I now practice the "when in doubt, throw him out" advice too!

marine67 · 10/20/2008, 08:54 AM

i had one and it totalled my accropora need to get rid

jhildebrand · 10/20/2008, 09:41 AM

...sump critter. don't risk it.

eros · 10/20/2008, 04:13 PM

After taking a closer look he has red eyes. I'm pretty sure someone on here said that red eyes means bad crab. I feel bad because he is cool looking. I'm afraid he will get sucked in my skimmer pump in the sump or starve.

10/20/2008, 04:15 AM	#1
eros Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 878	Hitchhiker Crab ID I got this crab as a hitchhiker from a frag swap. I'm sure he's a bad crab but I hope he's not cause he's cool looking. Anyone know?

10/20/2008, 05:43 AM	#5
SoundsFishy2me2 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Near the Skyway Bridge Posts: 1,154	Looks bad. It might be a stone crab but can't tell for sure from the pic. If he's got black tip claws that's a sign you don't wan't him. Ya' know what they say... "when in dought toss em' out" __________________ Darin Current Tank Info: 72, 65 & 110 reef tanks

10/20/2008, 07:43 AM	#6
Beach Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: New Tampa Posts: 124	I had an unidentified tiny hitchhiker crab on some rock early on in my tank. I enjoyed him at first but he kept molting and getting bigger and bigger. Caught him sitting on top of a rock snapping at a fish as it went by. The final straw was when I watched him jump off a rock, reach down in the sand and pull up the leg of one of my sand sifter stars and start ripping the flesh off and eating it. (which explained the half missing legs on the two of them!). I had to rip apart the entire tank to catch him! I now practice the "when in doubt, throw him out" advice too! __________________ Annette Current Tank Info: 45 gal mixed reef

10/20/2008, 09:41 AM	#8
jhildebrand Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Green Bay Posts: 782	...sump critter. don't risk it. __________________ 1000 gallons of liability Current Tank Info: 1000 gallon total system volume - 260g mixed reef - Fish room: 270g fiberglass grow out tank, 150g LPS cube, 150g sump, 150g 'fuge, remote DSB frag tub + 14g nano

10/20/2008, 04:19 AM	#2
troyman Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: troy ny Posts: 1,025	his claws are to big to be safe

10/20/2008, 05:26 AM	#3
returnofsid Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 3,852	Claws aren't near as big as those of an Emerald Crab!!! I really can't ID it for you, however, the majority of hitch hiker crabs are bad news. Maybe a closer and clearer pic....do the claws have black tips and are tips flat or pointed? That's normally a sign of bad crab. Flat tips are more for grazing algae, pointed tips are for catching fish!!

10/20/2008, 05:36 AM	#4
eros Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 878	He looks similar to an emerald crab overall, just different color. I'm not worried about him catching fish, my fish are all way too big for him, he's really tiny, I just dont want him eating my corals.

10/20/2008, 08:54 AM	#7
marine67 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Cheshire, England Posts: 5	i had one and it totalled my accropora need to get rid

10/20/2008, 04:13 PM	#9
eros Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 878	After taking a closer look he has red eyes. I'm pretty sure someone on here said that red eyes means bad crab. I feel bad because he is cool looking. I'm afraid he will get sucked in my skimmer pump in the sump or starve.