My mystery guest

[jen_1122]

Ok, so we found a little guy hiding very well in the live rock we purchased 2 weeks ago. We were adding, turbo, hermit, and a snail and apartently a crab. I've been trying for two days now to get a picture of this guy to find out if he's safe for a reef. This is the best i've gotten so far, I think he's getting used to me being outside of the tank and not darting inside the rock. If I get a better shot i'll post it.
His shape is making me think emerald, but his coloring seems off to me :twocents:(from what i've read).

 

[bjohanson1234]

could be a gorrila crab. Hard o tell unless I see the claws. Are they pointy or rounded flat tips?

Emeralds do come in more colors than green.

 

[jen_1122]

They look more like they are rounded to me, kind of like the arcade games with the claws that you can win a stuffed animal from. Sorry, that's the best description I can think of. lol.

uh oh, looking at the pictures of the gorrilla. It's a good possibility. But he's eating plants off of the rock.

 

[jen_1122]

Ok, I think this is a better picture. I tried to get as much of the claw as possible.

 

[Dana42078]

Doesnt look anthing like my emerals, my emerals are completely green and the claws on that look brownish black which means my guess would be what bjohnson said...gorilla

 

[mennazeher04]

is any way that you could take the rock out that it lives in? If you can take the rock out that its in then he might jump out so you can get a better pic of him.

 

[sen5241b]

Emerald crabs can be other colors incliding red. Sally lightfoot?

 

[bjohanson1234]

I dont think its a sally lightfoot. Those are flatter and more spread out.

 

[AdeptMrSniffles]

Those claws look to be Gorilla-ish to me.

 

[lilyicu]

It looks like the crabs I found in my tank. I thought they were beautiful until they attacked my sea hare and killed it within 3 hours of me putting it in my tank. I have caught one and am still trying to outsmart the other one :( Keep an eye on it.

 

[yote]

I dont think its an emerald.But its claws ARE cupped,so its not a dedicated predator.
I'd to just keep a close eye on it for now and see how it does.

 

[Bifferwine]

I also agree it's not an emerald.

 

[fastrd400]

He's what we call a rock crab. He will live in and among your rocks, picking and eating the coraline and hollowing out a rock to make his home. Pull him out and throw him in your sump.

This is one of 2 I found in my tank

 

[bjohanson1234]

NOt 100% sure it is a rock crab, the legs on jen's look hairier. I do know I have a rock crab in my tank somewhere, I have seen him, just havent be able to locate him yet.

 

[dcantucson]

When in doubt, take it out!!!

 

[Dana42078]

I agree with DC here, better safe than sorry....

 

[jen_1122]

So, I've been watching him. My turbo was out doing his thing and slithered past his hiding spot and he very "slowly" reached out for his antenna that reached in the burrow, but I could not tell if it was an aggressive or defensive move. There was no effort on his part. He's seems to be eating the green algae and the white particles on the rock. All my cleaner crew is still accounted for and they have been in contact with it. It's been 2 days.

 

[reeffreak]

You have a Xanthid crab,some are hairy or some are less hairy like the one Fast pictured.

Not considered reef safe.

 

[slm32123]

Bad very bad! Get him the hell outta there! I had one the exact same, ate 3 firefish! RED EYES MEAN EVIL!

 

[jen_1122]

You have a Xanthid crab,some are hairy or some are less hairy like the one Fast pictured.

Not considered reef safe.

So, the tank he is in, is going to be a reef, but I have another with damsil and snails, that will be a fish tank. Would he work in there?

Thanks for all the help. :bowdown: