Gaudy Clown Crab - Tamatoa

[Tamberav]

Tamatoa is doing well....I just got him moved over to the fuge in my new 80g last night so he is enjoying 25 gallons of space atm. I would put him in the DT but I don't think my wrasses would realize he toxic since they are from another part of the world.

 

I wish he would eat the Xenia because it grows faster than my palys and would be easier to cultivate for him.

 

I have had some people begging to borrow him to eradicate their invasive pallys in their SPS tank but nope...he stays here. If you find more... people are definitely interested in them for paly control.

 

 

[WV Reefer]

22 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Tamatoa is doing well....I just got him moved over to the fuge in my new 80g last night so he is enjoying 25 gallons of space atm. I would put him in the DT but I don't want him to become wrasse lunch.

 

I wish he would eat the Xenia because it grows faster than my palys and would be easier to cultivate for him.

 

I have had some people begging to borrow him to eradicate their invasive pallys in their SPS tank but nope...he stays here. If you find more... people are definitely interested in them for paly control.

 

 

He’s so cute! 

[Tamberav]

21 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

He’s so cute! 

When he is hungry he will flip himself over on his back and wiggle his legs like some sort of crying child.... 

 

I think John taught him that trick.. 

[j.falk]

How big is it?

[Tamberav]

5 minutes ago, j.falk said:

How big is it?

An inch wide about. 

[Clown79]

That's really cool.

 

I've never seen or heard of them. Very interesting

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

We need more pictures!!! 

[Tired]

He's lovely!

 

Does he only eat corals? 

[Tamberav]

5 hours ago, Tired said:

He's lovely!

 

Does he only eat corals? 

He will accept prepared foods buts prefers palys/zoas. He hasn't touched the other corals.

[johnmaloney]

21 hours ago, Tamberav said:

Tamatoa is doing well....I just got him moved over to the fuge in my new 80g last night so he is enjoying 25 gallons of space atm. I would put him in the DT but I don't think my wrasses would realize he toxic since they are from another part of the world.

 

I wish he would eat the Xenia because it grows faster than my palys and would be easier to cultivate for him.

 

I have had some people begging to borrow him to eradicate their invasive pallys in their SPS tank but nope...he stays here. If you find more... people are definitely interested in them for paly control.

 

 

He is a big star, I see posts about him out in the wild of the Internet and people ask me about him. May try looking again once fall winds die down.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

19 hours ago, johnmaloney said:

He is a big star, I see posts about him out in the wild of the Internet and people ask me about him. May try looking again once fall winds die down.

I would love one of these awesome crabs, but I don’t have enough zoas and palys in my tank at the moment to keep him fed everyday. Tamberav, do you feed him zoas and palys everyday, or do you feed him prepared foods like every other day and feed him zoas and palys every other day also? Like do you skip a day with zoas and palys?

[Tamberav]

4 hours ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

I would love one of these awesome crabs, but I don’t have enough zoas and palys in my tank at the moment to keep him fed everyday. Tamberav, do you feed him zoas and palys everyday, or do you feed him prepared foods like every other day and feed him zoas and palys every other day also? Like do you skip a day with zoas and palys?

I give him a frag full of zoas about 10 polyps about once a week. I don't target feed often....just if I notice him flipped over.

 

He will pick up a frag of palys like Hercules and carry it to a spot to snack on for a few days.

 

I doubt palys are needed... He just enjoys them and it's natural so I offer them. 

[johnmaloney]

Is he flipping himself again? What a funny crab. I bet he is looking for falling food. Would scare me every day we came in the warehouse. 

[Tired]

I wonder if you could get people infested with palys to send you rocks to feed him off of.

[Tamberav]

1 hour ago, johnmaloney said:

Is he flipping himself again? What a funny crab. I bet he is looking for falling food. Would scare me every day we came in the warehouse. 

Ya it still scares me every time even though that is just what he does. I never get used to it. 

[johnmaloney]

Probably some other crab that exhibits that behavior too, but I can't think of one. Maybe since he is building up palytoxins he can get away with it where other crabs wouldn't want to expose their vulnerable side. Exposed on your back looking up for food for hours/days on end seems like very risky behavior in the ocean.

[mitten_reef]

2 hours ago, Tamberav said:

....just if I notice him flipped over.

we need photo evidence, a short video clip of him flailing around would be even better  !!  😂

[kimberbee]

23 hours ago, mitten_reef said:

we need photo evidence, a short video clip of him flailing around would be even better  !!  😂

Sounds like my toddler when he doesn't get his way... I bet the crab is much cuter when he does it!!

[Tamberav]

52 minutes ago, kimberbee said:

Sounds like my toddler when he doesn't get his way... I bet the crab is much cuter when he does it!!

Well the crab can't cry or scream or say.... mom...mom...mom...mom..momomomom...mom... so it's a nice silent hissy fit lol 🙂

[H3RM1T_CR@B_:3]

Dang he's adorable. I've wanted one since my palys started to take over, just wish he'd go after xenia ;D

[Tamberav]

The little monster is out and about!

 

 

[Tired]

I adore him. I hope these become more common in the hobby, he's so pretty. And even if he gets decent-sized, I'm guessing he probably doesn't need more than a specimen nano of space- chunky thing like him doesn't look like he'd want to spend the night running around.

[WV Reefer]

1 hour ago, Tamberav said:

The little monster is out and about!

 

 

I like that he gives zero f*cks....... he’s all like, I’m here, I’m poisonous and I’m fabulous. 

[Tamberav]

45 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

I like that he gives zero f*cks....... he’s all like, I’m here, I’m poisonous and I’m fabulous. 

hah! That is true... he sleeps in a cave (do crabs sleep?) but when he's up and foraging he just wanders out into the open like... "Dare you to eat me b*tch!" I read they are active during the day... this seems to be true in that he will come out in bright light when my other crabs are hiding.... although he seems to be active whenever he feels like it tbh.... sometimes looking for a midnight snack. 

[johnmaloney]

Most crabs have a pale underside, the upside down fishing may be common in the species. It would make sense for a toxic animal to show off its colors on all sides even if it didn't do that, but I bet they all take advantage of the ability.

 

Yeah I talk about evolution as if it is a conscious thing the animal did one day.

 

Got to find another I guess to confirm it,