Jump to content
Innovative Marine Aquariums

POLYP-EATING CRAB


Gili
 Share


I just saw this guy munching through half a dozen polyps!

 

He arrived on another rock that was purchased covered in polyps peering out of a cave -

 

I think....

 

The mystery crab seemed very white in the beginning before disappearing, molting once and then reappearing [?] This one is of course brownish in colour, but a very similar shape and size - can crabs change their colours as they mature?? SIZE: 1cm across carpace.

 

Didnt see him actually eat the polyps but its a case of now you see me now you dont as within 5mins of me not being there the polpys were not there! Perhaps its a case of unfair justice that he was merely 'seen' in the vicinity but hell, im not taking any chances!!!

 

I also noticed tear-marks in the mat of a large colony of polyps nearby...

 

THIS IS ALSO MY FIRST POSTING :D


From the category:

Invertebrates

· 1,184 images
  • 1,184 images
  • 2,783 image comments

 Share


Recommended Comments

Yeah I dip all my zoas in fresh water before putting them in the tank and I see a ton of those little guys...I also just found a bigger one in my refugium...I have to keep an eye on that guy

Link to comment

fresh water dip for zoos?? How long for? is this ok for other corals that are hosted on living rock?

Link to comment

Do you know what color ikts claws are? I found a very similar looking crab hiding in a cave near some zo's as well, it was white with black claws. I have a feeling the guy was eating my zoanthids.

Link to comment

I dip my zoos in fresh RO water for a couple minutes...It cool cause all crabs, shrimp, starfish, pods leave the rock and go to the bottom of the container they are in and you can see what was on the rock that you didnt want in your tank...

Link to comment

My brother had that exact crab in his tank, and it was eating a huge amount of our zoas, palys. We actually saw it rip off a paly, and begin to eat it. Deffinetly a bad crab. It has a striped pattern on it's legs, and black marks on the top, right?

Took some shrimp, a fishing hook, and we got him.

Link to comment

get rid of it. I had one in my 60g one time that starteed that size (knew this because of the moltings), but could never catch it. By the time I did, a year later, I had lost a bunch of zoos, a clam, and a few others, and it was close to 2 inchs in diameter. Im freaked of hitchikers now.

Link to comment
x3cookiex3

Posted

Well i dont believe the crab should die. but i guess people will be people. i usally just find a lil tank for them & let them battle the other hitch hikers for food. its more intresting that just squashing them with a hammer. though i have been wrong before? LOL

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Add a comment...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...