mike_B Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Found this thing eating my lobophyllia. Anyone know the name of this species? 1 Quote Link to comment
mcarroll Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Might be what I've heard referred to as a gorilla crab. 1 Quote Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Good thing you caught it in the act @mike_B! @NoOneLikesADryTang might know if this is a gorilla crab for sure. It looks like it could be, and certainly was behaving like one. Did it seem a little 'fuzzy' when it was underwater? Quote Link to comment
Jakesaw Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 34 minutes ago, Christopher Marks said: @NoOneLikesADryTang might know if this is a gorilla crab for sure. Can name it Magilla Quote Link to comment
NoOneLikesADryTang Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 It definitely looks like an Xanthid crab, which is the family that gorilla crabs belong to. The black pinchers are a sign of a crab that will wreak havoc in your tank. In our experience of keeping gorilla's, they didn't go after corals - but crabs/snails/fish were all just a meal waiting to happen. If you're tank didn't have a supply of other things to eat, I could definitely see a gorilla crab going after a coral, as they are opportunistic feeders. 1 Quote Link to comment
mike_B Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share Posted March 1, 2021 38 minutes ago, Christopher Marks said: Good thing you caught it in the act @mike_B! @NoOneLikesADryTang might know if this is a gorilla crab for sure. It looks like it could be, and certainly was behaving like one. Did it seem a little 'fuzzy' when it was underwater? Yep. Definitely seemed fuzzy. Clung onto the lobo like a vice. 1 minute ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said: It definitely looks like an Xanthid crab, which is the family that gorilla crabs belong to. The black pinchers are a sign of a crab that will wreak havoc in your tank. In our experience of keeping gorilla's, they didn't go after corals - but crabs/snails/fish were all just a meal waiting to happen. If you're tank didn't have a supply of other things to eat, I could definitely see a gorilla crab going after a coral, as they are opportunistic feeders. My hermit crabs were gathered along the base of the lobo before the lights went out and this other guy showed up. Wonder if they were trying to protect it, or what . . not sure. 1 Quote Link to comment
NoOneLikesADryTang Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 17 minutes ago, mike_B said: My hermit crabs were gathered along the base of the lobo before the lights went out and this other guy showed up. Wonder if they were trying to protect it, or what . . not sure. I highly doubt that - had you noticed if the lobo was dying, or had damaged flesh prior to finding the crab eating it? Quote Link to comment
mike_B Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share Posted March 1, 2021 3 minutes ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said: I highly doubt that - had you noticed if the lobo was dying, or had damaged flesh prior to finding the grab eating it? It had attacked the lobo the night before. Before that the coral was looking real fat and happy Quote Link to comment
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