Hitchhiker Crab (black claws)

[Kizmar]

I got a new coral today and noticed a hitchhiker hiding in it. Couldn't tell what it was at first and put the coral in my tank. As I sat there watching it, I noticed it was a small crab. It moved around in the coral just enough for me to get a glimpse of it. After a minute of Googleing, I found a picture that looks very close to what this crab looks like:


From what I'm reading this isn't reef safe.

Right now the coral is sitting in a bucket of water and I'm waiting for the crab to crawl off it. I dropped a food pellet in the bucket hoping that it would leave the coral to eat the food.

Is there a better way to get hitchhikers like this off coral without harming the coral?

 

[Cheeser]

have you tried to do a dip?

 

[Kizmar]

have you tried to do a dip?

Like a freshwater dip? I haven't yet. I'm not sure if it will harm the coral (it's a Montipora).

 

[Kizmar]

I ran out of patience and grabbed some tweezers. Hopefully I didn't harm the coral by keeping it out of water for a minute. Got the little bastard though...

 

[Kizmar]

Not sure what to do with this thing. I'm hesitant to put him in my sump because I would like the options to trade sump rocks with display rocks and I don't want to accidentally put him in the display.

 

[Bifferwine]

Looks like a xanthid crab to me!

Crab Hitch Hikers

 

[Kizmar]

Looks like a xanthid crab to me!

Crab Hitch Hikers

I agree. Research says they eat coral polyps and protect the host coral from larger predators... But I'm assuming that's still not a good thing for a display tank.

 

[Ted]

I recently caught a hitch hiker crab....I know I will piss someone off but I killed it..

 

[Kizmar]

I recently caught a hitch hiker crab....I know I will piss someone off but I killed it..

This little guy is still sitting in a bowl with a little algea. Not sure if he'll be alive by morning, and not sure what I'll do with it. At this point I'll most likely fling it into the back yard. ;)

 

[Cheeser]

Maybe see if a lfs will take it off ur hands.