JamieSheffield Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 This morning, while getting dressed for work and only partially hypnotized by the tank on top of my dresser, I spotted some movement from a portion of the LR scape that normally is empty of action... Underneath one edge of a chunk of LR, I saw some tiny bits of rock/shell get pushed out of a tiny burrow/cave. I watched for a minute, and saw some tiny crab claws pushing more bits out, and then arranging some of the bits into a tight chute at the entrance to the newly-dug cave. The claws were somewhat like those of my emerald crab and my red porcelain crab, but were both smaller and more narrow/elongated than those crabs' claws. I saw left and right pincer claws that were white with red accents/highlights, but never saw the crab apparently living under my LR. I'll try and get a pic of the beast tonight, but if he's been living there the whole time he's pretty good at stealthy, because my wife says that I watch the tank more than TV and our son put together... Jamie Link to comment
GokesReef Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Japanese pistol shrimp? Alternatively, if it's something like a gorilla crab which will actually burrow into your rock and reduce it's structural integrity, you will want to remove it asap. The shrimp will just make room, the crab will smash up the insides of your rock and hollow it out. Link to comment
JayPagi Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I spotted a small crab a long time ago in my tank but never thought anything of it as it was so small. A few months back my hermit crab went missing then my porcelain crabs went missing. I fear it was responsible for the deaths of the other crabs. Well I saw it again last night and it's doubled in size over the last year. I ID'd it this morning as a type of Xanthidae Crab on this website http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchcrabs.html Link to comment
JamieSheffield Posted January 23, 2012 Author Share Posted January 23, 2012 Japanese pistol shrimp? Alternatively, if it's something like a gorilla crab which will actually burrow into your rock and reduce it's structural integrity, you will want to remove it asap. The shrimp will just make room, the crab will smash up the insides of your rock and hollow it out. Thanks for the quick reply...the coloring of the claws is right, but they were symmetrically sized and shaped, both like the right claw of the shrimp above...I hope it's not a gorilla crab...sounds like a PITA! Jamie Link to comment
GokesReef Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Hm.. that's tough. The only red crab I know of is the strawberry, but I don't know if that behavior is typical of them (never kept or known someone who has kept one). Pic: Gorilla crabs generally have black-tipped claws. I'd check out that HH crab page linked above and see if you can spot a match. Let us know what you come up with! And, just to avoid confusion, gorilla crabs ARE Xanthid, which JayPagi mentioned he had. edit 2 some red gorilla crabs (note the black tips): Link to comment
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