Hitchhiking Crab

[luckybaker]

Hey Guys

 

First of all just wanted to say thanks for sharing all your info. I just started my first nano tank, and so far it has been a blast, I think i litterally spent 2 hours looking into it last night. Anyways, I bought some live rock a couple days ago, and as I was peering into it last night, 2 crabs emerged. They are colored just like the rock, so they are kinda hard to see in pictures. However, they have blue mandible things that kinda stick out, making them easy to spot. My question is, what kinda of crabs are these? And are they safe to have in my tank? I don't have any corals yet, but i am lookin to get some in the near future. Also, I have noticed some clear centipede looking thinks crawling around on the rock. I am guessing these are good, and will be a good source of food for future inhabitants.

 

I had a fan tube worm that i spoted in a tube, but this afternoon, it was no longer there. Can they leave their tube? Or is it possible that the centipede lookin things or the crabs crabed it for a meal?

 

Thanks in advance, I'm sure you will be hearing a lot from me down the road. Hopefully some day I can be of some assistance to newbie's just like myself.

[Acoustic]

It is a species of mithrax crab. I looked around at my vast resources and could not find an exact taxonomy for you. Which is rare. Mithrax crabs are still omnivores but lean more to the herbivore side of the eating world. Keep track of thier behavior just in case.

[luckybaker]

how would i go about catchin it if i wanted to? It seems to hide out only in the rocks

[Acoustic]

Get some food and put in in a clear cup. The crab will climb in. Then pick up the cup. Viola!

[DeskJockey]

blue mandible things or blue eyes?

 

Kinda sounds like an acropora eating crab. I would just take his butt out.