Theres a Strange crab in my live rock?

[rluix]

So , i bought live rock for my tank, one of them had about 6 brittle starfish babys in it, and the next day i saw a crab in a hole of the bigger live rock! i could hardly see it, but it was enought to see it was a small crab.
Its white all around, with tiny legs, will he hurt my fish? i still haven't bought the fish, so i need to know , i tried to lure him out of the hole with a bit of clam, but instead, he grabbed the clam, from hes cave, and got inside quickly as soon as it grabed it.
Its size its as much as about this: -----------------

Thanks!

[leebca]

I moved your post form the fish aquarium forum to the Reef Forum where it will probably get help from those that have reef tanks and keep and know crabs.

[Steve McKay]

That's big enough to eat,add some garlic and butter. I don't need a photo to identify it because crabs aren't reef safe.They are opportunistic feeders,meaning they will eat anything they can get their claws on including your fish.I would advise you to trap or capture it and take it to your lfs,you maybe able to get a few dollars for it.

[gregony]

Porcelin crabs are supposed to play nice, but they're much smaller than that. Steve's right, it's gotta go.

[Seige]

I have a strawberry crab in my tank now no problem although it rarely appears. It's fun to hunt it down.

I had a sally lightfoot and emerald and they weren't a problem although most people will say not to put them in. The sally got killed by my purple lobster. Not sure why the emerald died. It was in the tank for 6-8 months and at worst the crab would snap at a fish if the crab was eating near the fishes cave and the fish was trying to chase it away.

I kinda take the aggresive approach to the hobbie though. I like diversity and learning for myself what works and what doesn't.

Your's doesn't sound like any crab I've had. If you're having trouble catching it you might be able to trap it by placing some food in a small bottle. Leave it in overnight.

[Parrothead]

Crabs,

Skewered, boiled, baked, steamed, Bait, now those are good uses for a crab

[rluix]

That's big enough to eat,add some garlic and butter. I don't need a photo to identify it because crabs aren't reef safe.They are opportunistic feeders,meaning they will eat anything they can get their claws on including your fish.I would advise you to trap or capture it and take it to your lfs,you maybe able to get a few dollars for it.

Hes pinces (?) are very small, like this: -. , i don't think that he would hurt a fish, but okay.

[Steve McKay]

Let me clarify,crabs can eat fish depending on what crab it is.It doesn't matter how big the pincers are if there not big enough to catch fish then it probably preys on something else that you don't want it to.Lobsters are no different example above in post #5 obviously Seige is putting them in to watch them fight and probably betting on the outcome.That or doesn't research the animal before buying it.It doesn't take a two second Google search to find out that a Sallylightfoot crab is not reef safe.When I say reef safe I don't just mean corals,I mean all inhabitants of a reef.

[rluix]

i finnaly got him to come out, heres a pic, a bit dific. to see him, sorry


Seems like hes smaller than i tought, kinda like this ----------, might just be a baby anyway.

[Steve McKay]

At first glance it looks like the head of a sea turtle.That photo looks like an inferred shot.Sorry but I can't make out what it is.

[Seige]

Let me clarify,crabs can eat fish depending on what crab it is.It doesn't matter how big the pincers are if there not big enough to catch fish then it probably preys on something else that you don't want it to.Lobsters are no different example above in post #5 obviously Seige is putting them in to watch them fight and probably betting on the outcome.That or doesn't research the animal before buying it.It doesn't take a two second Google search to find out that a Sallylightfoot crab is not reef safe.When I say reef safe I don't just mean corals,I mean all inhabitants of a reef.

Steve, you obviously don't read very well. I stated I like diversity and learning for myself what does and what doesn't work. I do my research.

You obviously don't know much about the lobsters and crabs I mentioned. If you did any research you'd know that the lobsters and crabs I had are "generally" reef safe if fed properly although they will defend themselves and their caves. The ones I had never harmed any corals and were very helpfull picking algae.

In my case the lobster and sally were fine in the aquarium until I moved some live rock which caused the lobster to change caves and catching the sally unaware just a couple hours later.

If anything it's my diamond goby that's reef unsafe. Burying corals or undermining corals and rocks so they turn over.

I will be adding a sally and emerald back to the tank once I find a good source that isn't overpriced. The ones I had before were very enjoyable and non-threatening.

Time for you to run along to pre-school Stevey. buh bye!!!

[Steve McKay]

If you research then why do you put incompatible subjects together,knowing full well what's going to happen.Gee what happened to Mr.Lightfoot.For your information the term "Reef Safe" means the subject will not harm corals or sessile inverts,that leaves a lot of animals on the dinner menu.Do you really believe that the new Mr.Lightfoot won't ambush your fish at night when he gets big enough.And on top of that you must have put your rocks directly on the sand with no foundation for them to shift and fall.Yes you are right about ONE THING I would find a cheap source of Sallys to feed your lobster too.I think by now you understand I know a lot more about crabs and lobsters than you think.I like to find out what works and doesn't work myself too.I was wondering if a person falls over 300ft.onto cement would they have more than scratches,would you be my test subject.

[blennydude]

rluix, is your crab on this site? www.xtalreef.com You will see the phrase "oportunistic feeders" about some crabs, I would bet yours is ok for now. I have a hitchhiker crab about the size of yours that didn't cause any problems, and he sure is a stealthy s.o.b. Just don't let him get really hungry that he has to go looking for some oportunity. ha, ha

[Steve McKay]

blennydude,the link doesn't work.There is no such thing as a not hungry crab,lobster or shrimp,the only species of any of these three that will not harm anything as far as I know is the Skunk Cleaner Shrimp.

[blennydude]

Steve, what's in your tank? From what I can remember about, 7 live rocks, a $7 damsel, a $15 sixline, a 2 in. acro, and a sun coral, and a couple snails. Wow!!!!!!! Have you ever had a hitch hiker crab, or any crab 1 1/2" long eat a fish? Didn't think so. Why are you always trying to play gotcha to other members?

[blennydude]

Sorry folk's it's xtalworld.com

[blennydude]

Xtalreef

[Steve McKay]

Well let me see,first that $7.00 damsel and $15.00 six line live in a $6,500 aquarium.Yes I have had hitch hiker crabs.And yes I have had a crab EAT MY FISH A CLOWN.As far as playing gotcha,I'm tired of seeing inexperienced people doing stupid **** at the expense of livestock how about you.

[blennydude]

your 55 gallon aquarium sitting on a cheap table is $6,500? you got ripped off then.

[Steve McKay]

your 55 gallon aquarium sitting on a cheap table is $6,500? you got ripped off then.

That table is a metal tank desk,type it in Google and find out how much that cost.I have kept a text file listing all proceeds towards my fish hobby,it's over $6,500.Did your skimmer almost cost a grand?I think not.And just for the sake of it what big expensive fish would you put in a 50 (not a 55)anyway.Maybe some big expensive DAMSEL like the one you have in your 65.