johnmaloney Posted July 15, 2019 Share Posted July 15, 2019 This picture is of a pair of the species Mithrax verrucosus, the Paved Clinging Crab. The red crab is male, the grayish crab is female. Unlike other Mithrax species (like the Emerald Crab and Ruby Crab that are popular in the hobby), the sex of these crabs is apparent without “checking the undercarriage”. They show pairing behavior. All of the male crabs in our tanks have paired with females and they stick together for a fair portion of the day, hanging out much like they are in this picture. Their carapace is about 2 inches in diameter, and they are pretty beefy. They have about 8 times the weight of their cousin the Emerald Crab. They have a similar diet, but are large enough to harm and harass small fish and are not reef safe for most tanks. 5 Quote Link to comment
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