i have a crab...

[Stuquarium]

looking in the tank last night i've found a crab lurking on one of the live rocks

i haven't been able to get a good look at it, so i don't know if its a nice crab or bad crab.

anyone got any info on these kind of crabs, it was brown, and was hard to see against a hard brown rock, i assume he was hidden in the LR when it was bought from the store.

should i try to remove it ? or leave it ?

 

[StripesTheEel]

i'd just leave it.. probably just a hitchhiker crab.. just monitor it..

 

[Stuquarium]

fairenough will do..

what if it dies? and i cant find it.. wont it mess with my tanks water quality?

 

[StripesTheEel]

i doubt it will die.. it feeds on detritus and food left over from feedings..

 

[natman2]

If its Florida live rock its most likely a juvenile stone crab. Not a problem at that dime size stage. Will eat shell fish when they get big enough and they get huge, the size of a large dinner plate at least. Probably eventually have to take him out of the tank. Do not eat fish (or so they say)

There camo is amazing though isn't hit. If they are amongst the rock you have literally zip chance of seeing them unless they move.

 

[Jermz79]

I got a few of the same crabs in my tank, I was told as long as they don't have hairy legs they are not to be worried about. I have FL LR and pulled several crabs out that looked like they could devour anything in their paths ... real big claws, hairy legs and snipping at fish when they swam by ... needless to say I pulled them and gave them back to the LFS!

I also have now seen about 5 Urchins in my 29gal. and 3 in my Nano, I guess these Black Urchins are common on FL LR as well. I don't see any coraline loss so at this point I'm not real worried about them!

 

[Stuquarium]

great thanks guys.

i'll ket him be until he's big enough not to hide and i'll remove him .