Got a decorator crab!

chiqui bb

Reefing newb
He's pretty big. Body and legs together are about the size of my fist, maybe a little smaller. He's really cool but creeps me out. He is wearing so much stuff, he looks like a tarantula....and I have a phobia about bugs, especially spiders! Ewww :shock:

Been trying to get a picture but he only comes out at night. Saw him this morning when I turned the lights on but he scurried in the rocks so fast I would never have been able to get a pic!

I've read that they like algae and some meaty foods. I've been putting algae sheets in after lights out but the turbo snails get to it pretty quickly. Not sure if the crab is eating this or not. I also tried spirulina pellets but the hermits are all over that so I'm sure there is nothing left by the time he ventures out.

Anyone have advice on feeding this guy?
 
No corals, just mushrooms and a small frag of palys. I had some zoas for awhile but they slowly melted away (over about 4-5 months time). Also have some green star polyp and I see that he used some for "decorating"!
 
I have 3 decorator crabs and they have never eaten my corals. I make sure to keep different plants and macroalgae in my tank so they can change their outfits when they want to. I feed mine sinking bottom feeder pellets every couple of weeks, I just hand it directly to them and they munch on it.
 
The reason he reminds you of a spider is because they are in the same family :) In fact, you can buy them online as a "spider decorator crab"... I personally LOVE DCs but more-so the cold water type... they aren't really reef safe because they will mash up the corals trying to get them off of whatever they're on to put on themselves... Try target feeding him.... I wouldn't worry about it pinching you (they don't have really strong pincers) too badly but when he gets bigger (not sure how big he is now?) he may go after the fish...
 
The reason he reminds you of a spider is because they are in the same family :) In fact, you can buy them online as a "spider decorator crab"... I personally LOVE DCs but more-so the cold water type... they aren't really reef safe because they will mash up the corals trying to get them off of whatever they're on to put on themselves... Try target feeding him.... I wouldn't worry about it pinching you (they don't have really strong pincers) too badly but when he gets bigger (not sure how big he is now?) he may go after the fish...
haha. the damsel defender. I love it
 
I had a tiny DC that was good for a while. One day I woke up and there were hundreds of tiny neon orange and purple balls floating around the tank. It was pieces of ricordea.:spider:
 
Well, the DC is going back to the store! I was able to lure him out last night with an algae sheet after the lights went out. Netted him and put him in the sump for now. I do like him but he has torn up my green star polyp. On the plus side, he seeded some of the other rock with GSP and it's growing well.

So, sorry little guy, but you have to go!

If anyone in the area is interested, he is free for pickup. Let me know soon.
 
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