crab like thing

[Critterlvrok]

All I can tell is appears to be a male fiddler of some sort. I'm sure that doesn't help. Sorry

 

[craig_will2513]

trade at the local lfs.. do they do that. so if i take him in and give him to them they will give me something in return.. even if he is a bad guy

 

[tarpon]

Keep him in your qt!
Or at least be sure to change the water in that bag. Howd you catch him?

 

[kdpuffer]

Most LFS will take either in store credit or trade.

 

[craig_will2513]

i had to take all the rock work out and get a torch and inspect every last inch lol. and yeah ill change the water

 

[kurtyboh]

yeah, def a fiddler of some kind, with one oversized claw. It's like a trademark of the fiddler.

 

[spoonman]

Here is a link to a hitch hiker page. I dont think it is a mantis, but I dont really see anything else that it looks like.

Xtalreef - Reef Saltwater Aquarium

 

[craig_will2513]

so fidler it is.. good or bad

 

[Badfishofbabylon]

i had to take all the rock work out and get a torch and inspect every last inch lol. and yeah ill change the water

Another easy way to get mobile hitch hikers out of your rock is to dip it in hypo or hyper salinity water for a few minutes. I do that to all my LR, it doesn't really hurt the rock and it usually drive everything out of their holes.

As for being good or bad, very few crabs are "good" for tanks. Over time most crabs will be come destructive, it's just their nature, crabs are opportunistic feeder. Even reef safe hermits will kill snails for their shells.

 

[craig_will2513]

thanks thats good advice. and i dont mean to sound like iam telling you all as i really dont know but iv just been reading up about fiddlers and what i read says that they they breathe air and need dry land also. this thing has been hiding on rock at least a month so i am thinking its not a fiddler

 

[tarpon]

Yeah youre right. I remember i went to new jersey and there were holes in the sand on dry land by the water where fiddlers lived in.
Unless theres a different kind of fiddler thats fully aquatic?

 

[mr_X]

i would say it's a member of the xanthid species. rock boring crabs that aren't considered reef safe. there's no chance that little guy took out a fish though.

 

[craig_will2513]

brilliant thanks mr x.. i got rid of him at my lfs today.. i found the missing fish so not to worry there