Ok, I've got 3 crabs, and it appears to be 2 different species?
Here's the first one. It is sized about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter? When I found it, it usually hanged on the underside of live rock in a cave-like setting. Very hairy looking fella. I did a search on the internet and only came up with the "Gorilla Crab" from the Tampabayliverock website.
Here's a photo that I grabbed when it was feeling courageous... I saw it climb up a rock and snatch a blue legged hermit right off the rock, and no, it did not eat it. I did find the next day empty shell of an astrea snail I purchased the day before, right where the crab dropped the hermit
This next one looks to be a tad bit different. Also hairy looking but a bit smaller, maybe about 1/2 to 3/4 inch. I think this guy snatched parts of the starfish that starved about a couple weeks ago. (the star's legs were removed from right where I found this feller). The 3rd one looks just like this but was super tiny... maybe 1/4 inch or so??
I have since taken out the larger one and was in the process of grabbing the med sized one but it got away from me. It lives just under the rock and just where the sand meets the rock, in a little crevice like area.
The third one, I've only saw it once when first putting in the live rock.
So, are these crabs baddies?
Here's the first one. It is sized about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter? When I found it, it usually hanged on the underside of live rock in a cave-like setting. Very hairy looking fella. I did a search on the internet and only came up with the "Gorilla Crab" from the Tampabayliverock website.
Here's a photo that I grabbed when it was feeling courageous... I saw it climb up a rock and snatch a blue legged hermit right off the rock, and no, it did not eat it. I did find the next day empty shell of an astrea snail I purchased the day before, right where the crab dropped the hermit
This next one looks to be a tad bit different. Also hairy looking but a bit smaller, maybe about 1/2 to 3/4 inch. I think this guy snatched parts of the starfish that starved about a couple weeks ago. (the star's legs were removed from right where I found this feller). The 3rd one looks just like this but was super tiny... maybe 1/4 inch or so??
I have since taken out the larger one and was in the process of grabbing the med sized one but it got away from me. It lives just under the rock and just where the sand meets the rock, in a little crevice like area.
The third one, I've only saw it once when first putting in the live rock.
So, are these crabs baddies?