allen63 Posted August 15, 2005 Share Posted August 15, 2005 I've had my 36 gallon corner style tank up at my office for 4 weeks and tonight I stopped in to check on it and saw a very large crab for the first time. Definately not a hermit. It has black pinchers about 1 inch long each with white stripes at the elbows. It has a black body as well. It's legs are camouflage colored like the live rock. It is picking at the live rock. It sees me from pretty far away and ducks back in the rock when I try to get close. He is big, I can tell that much. He stays hidden except for his big black claw that picks at stuff. I'm guessing from searching other crab posts that he is a bad guy. I don't have any corals yet since it is a new setup except for some hitchhiker ones. What do you guys think? Thanks, Allen Link to comment
Reef_Mad_Man Posted August 15, 2005 Share Posted August 15, 2005 Post a pic if posible. If he is dark green andboth the claws are the same sid eI would say its a reef safe emerald crab. THey get pretty dark when they get larger. If it only has one large claw GET IT OUT. Its bad. If it had a pad instead of a point on its pinchers its a good guy if not its a bad guy. Link to comment
Caesar777 Posted August 15, 2005 Share Posted August 15, 2005 I'd take him out anyway. Most crabs are there to cause trouble. Link to comment
Caesar777 Posted August 15, 2005 Share Posted August 15, 2005 Try setting a trap. (Look up "diy trap".) Link to comment
allen63 Posted August 16, 2005 Author Share Posted August 16, 2005 I have seen him today in the light also. His pinchers do come to a point on the ends with white tips. They are black. Both pinchers are the same size. He hides as soon as I try to get a close up look at him. I've got a hob fuge I am putting on this tank. Could he go in there? It seems like he would eat alot. I can easily pull out his favorite rock and catch him that way, it's at the top. But I don't want to kill him, any ideas? Also, this tank is eventually going to have a mantis shrimp and some beginner corals in it. So the mantis might do the dirty work for me. Thanks, Allen Link to comment
Caesar777 Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Danger.. Take him out. Either give him his own tank or take him to the LFS. If nothing else, he can be a treat for the puffers and triggers. Link to comment
USAFox33 Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 i had a hitchhiker crab that came in on some LR i added last week.. it sounds just like the one your talking about.. from what i was told they get really larger.. 4 to 5 inches.. and they will eat anything.. fish, corals, shrimp.. what every they can catch.. i cought him picking on my Alveopora.. i picked his little ass out of the tank and took him back.. they made trigger food out of him.. pay back is a B#$&^.. lol Link to comment
USAFox33 Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 also if you cant get a good look at him.. try getting a flash light with a red lense.. most inverts cant see it.. wait till the lights have been out for a while.. and scan your tank.. thats how i find a lot of things in my tank.. Link to comment
Caesar777 Posted August 16, 2005 Share Posted August 16, 2005 Doesn't matter what species it is...It'll cause a LOT of trouble, ESPECIALLY if it's large. Link to comment
rissaroo Posted August 20, 2005 Share Posted August 20, 2005 I think those are called gorilla crabs. They get really large and destroy reefs!!! Good luck Link to comment
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