View Full Version : Crab ID Please - Pic


gnashty
02-10-2012, 8:24 PM
I just got home from work and noticed my sweet tabling acro is almost all bleached out. I gave it a lugols dip (probably wont help) and noticed these 2 crabs all up in it. I doubt they had much to do with the bleaching but Im not putting them back in unless they are safe.

Are these bad crabs? Here is a pic or two. A quick web seach suggested the small one might be an acro crab and the big one maybe a porcelain or decorator? Im not quite sure

35153

35154

35155

Mockery
02-10-2012, 8:28 PM
Can't be positive but the first one looks bad but the second looks like an acro crab.

Dine
02-10-2012, 8:41 PM
i also dont think the first one is reef safe. last speaker gave us the general guidline that hairy crabs=bad

Sewer Urchin
02-10-2012, 8:43 PM
Difficult to tell.
I thought the first might be a gorilla crab, do an image search to be sure. Couldn't tell you about the second.
Try serving it up with a nice butter sauce. mmmm-mm

Dine
02-10-2012, 8:48 PM
Difficult to tell.
I thought the first might be a gorilla crab, do an image search to be sure. Couldn't tell you about the second.
Try serving it up with a nice butter sauce. mmmm-mm

gorilla was my first thought but google changed my mind...

falos
02-10-2012, 9:02 PM
Hard to tell in the pics look in to these Scleractinians, Alcyonaceans, Pennatulaceans Xanthid
is the hole shell fuzzy or just the arms and take it to bright light place a white peace of paper around the botom look at color and markings

Edit:

Brisco15
02-10-2012, 9:06 PM
First is bad I believe as well that same kind as far as I can tell from pic will pick at polyps. Had a few sneak in once on some live rock.

Ripped Tide
02-10-2012, 9:08 PM
I'll take the crabs if you don't want them. My sump needs character

Edit: And if the second is a bandit crab, I'll even pay.

Patrick
02-10-2012, 10:36 PM
One looks like a generic xanthid crab to me and the other one does resemble an acro crab.

Maelstrom79
02-10-2012, 10:38 PM
What about emerald crabs? They have hairy legs ;)

Patrick
02-10-2012, 10:47 PM
What about emerald crabs? They have hairy legs ;)

The mithrax crabs just look different and have a different shaped carapace.......at least to me. To me that larger crab doesn't even look close to an emerald.

Ripped Tide
02-10-2012, 10:49 PM
Not an emerald.

rolo65
02-10-2012, 11:20 PM
The first one is a bad one....the yellow one is ok....you can actually put him back on the acro....I had that same crap(1st) on a few of my colonies.....they eat the polyps and dig a cave in the main stalk of the acro and start to kill it...

MvM
02-10-2012, 11:28 PM
The first one is a bad one....the yellow one is ok....you can actually put him back on the acro....I had that same crap(1st) on a few of my colonies.....they eat the polyps and dig a cave in the main stalk of the acro and start to kill it...
Agreed. But I will insert "crab" instead of "crap." Haha.

jead85
02-10-2012, 11:51 PM
Definitly looks like the gorilla crab I had. From the picture anyway Has lots of spots and red eyes right? Supposidly eats coral. I banished mine to the sump.

rolo65
02-11-2012, 8:55 AM
Agreed. But I will insert "crab" instead of "crap." Haha.

Crap!.....I should proof read!....lol......but yes I meant crab..... :)

gnashty
02-11-2012, 10:09 AM
I put the little one back in the tank, the first one got banished.

In the reefcleaners desription of the 1st crab under Decorator Crab said they will go lifeless when scared and that is exactly what it did. I thought it was dead. Said it was a known zoa muncher