Hitchhiker crab?

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May 23, 2013, 05:24:50 PM

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[RickGervs]

Hi Guys,

So Yesterday I noticed a crab living in my live rock and after searching the net I realized that it's a Black Mithrax crab.

It has black/dark blue claws and legs like a spider and hairy

I haven't seen him hurt anything in my tank except for eating algae on my live rock.

I was wondering if it's harmless or if I should remove him because I can barely see him in my Live rock I can't imagine trying to remove him...

Here's a picture I found that looks exactly like it

http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u58/LoJack29/xanthidcrabpas007.jpg

 

[mmaisonneuve]

Got one exactly like it.....let us know if good or bad.....mine is now residing in the sump.

[Greatwhite]

Google was able to find a picture, but not any of the postings about that crab being a good guy or bad?  weeeeird.

Looking at the picture, that guy doesn't look like a bad guy.  Generally if you look at the claws, you can tell if he's an algae eater or a flesh eater.  Algae eaters have rounded claws, and flesh eaters have sharp claws.  (there are always exceptions!!!)

Btw - i found this;

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=18322542

Looks like a cool addition to a tank, if you ask me.  I love crabs/shrimp/etc in my tank!

[kole18]

Indo live rocks got bunch of those black crabs, when I bought my indo LR's 1 of our fellow co-ovas here found a lot of black hair crabs in the hole I thought its emerald but this is scary looking crab. Got few pcs of indo at mscape I check my LR's again to see of any crabs in there again found out a few big 1 in the hole. Buying LR's make sure to check first before adding in your tank that's my lesson lost my solar wrasse this stupid crabs tearing apart my 40$ fish .

[redbelly]

I had one of these in my display for a couple years and he never did any "harm" but he was a major bull dozer and lover removing frags from their pearch even when I glued them down.

Mine was HUGE by the time he finally aggrivated me enough and I introduced him to Mr Fork.

[Vince.]

Bad. Pitch it

[ihavecrabs]

Good link Greatwhite.  So is it a Mithrax or Chlorodiella cytherea, RickGervs.  Seems like there are people on both sides of the fence when it comes to these crabs, according to other forums. 

[Hookup]

This was Pat's crab after he stabbed it... we gave it an "at sea" burial.

[RickGervs]

Good thing I have a shotgun at home

[RickGervs]

Hey Guys,

So yesterday night I wanted to look how my crab was and I found him dead.

It was pretty hard to catch and had to be remove but what could have killed him?

I hope it not something that my other living could died of...

[Greatwhite]

Hey Guys,

So yesterday night I wanted to look how my crab was and I found him dead.

It was pretty hard to catch and had to be remove but what could have killed him?

I hope it not something that my other living could died of...

Did you find him dead, or just his shell?  Some crabs are pros at faking their deaths.

[RickGervs]

I poked him with my turkey baster and he didn't move. I try to remove it but it just floated under a rock...

[ihavecrabs]

Are you sure it's not a molt?

[RickGervs]

yeah

[Greatwhite]

Every time one of my crabs or shrimp molt, I have to look 2 or 3 times to make sure that it's an empty shell... and that doesn't usually satisfy me, so I have to look all over the tank, counting every critter that looks like the shell before I'm happy.

[RickGervs]

No it's not a shell

[BOnaqua]

It looks like an emerald to me. Check the claws.