Sand Colour Crab

[pinda]

I am afraid that I dont have a digital camera but could you guys ID for me a crab in my tank. I believe that it came with the live sand. The reason for saying that is that its the exact colour of sand. A light brown with white spots and red eyes. I barely caught him grazing on the rock.

 

[melosu58]

So many different types of crabs. I just dont have an idea without a picture.

 

[roka64]

I agree, with no pic, we can only guess. What color are his claws?

 

[pinda]

His entire body including his claws are the same colour. A light brown with white specks. He looks exactly like caribbean sand. When he is in the sand he is almost invisible. His only give away is his red eyes. If you guys cant give me an identification due to lack of camera i understand.

 

[roka64]

Does it look anything like one of These http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/scateg.cfm?pCatId=501?

 

[austinsdad]

I've heard that pointed clawed crabs are not friendly or reef safe (then again, what do the emerald greens have???)

Anyway, if you can catch him now, I'd do so and take him to the LFS. Better safe than sorry. Small now, but could become a nasty beast later.

 

[MT79]

heard that pointed clawed crabs are not friendly or reef safe (then again, what do the emerald greens have???)

I have heard some horror stories about emerald crabs.

 

[melosu58]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=629

Does he look like the light brown crab on here.

 

[pinda]

I live in the caribbean and i usually see them running on the sand at the beach. I am not certain how big they get though but to catch him now I will have to tear up my tank and stress out my damsel and clarkii clown. Oh he doesn't look like any of those, actually that was the first place i checked. At present he is the size of my baby fingernail. His claws are pointed too. I was even thinking about putting a bursa in there to take care of him but he's very quick.

 

[roka64]

Any chance he looks like one of these:
http://www.etropicals.com/product/scateg.cfm?siteid=43&pCatId=1195
I believe etropicals is exclusive to the caribbean, of course, if it is a bad crab, they probably wouldn't sell it.
I would suggest the tilted glass with food in the bottom to catch him.