Odd crab in open brain coral

[Kelz88]

Hello everyone, just wanted to ask in case anyone has ever experienced a crab living in the flesh/skeleton of an open brain?

Attached a pic, he seems like he is digging around in the coral and I have tried tweezers to get him out but it just isnt happening, any advice on what exactly he is and how to get him out of there?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Salty B]

Gall crab possibly.

 

[Treezer8]

Looks like one of these

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/identification/27215-gall-crab.html
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1129536

 

[Treezer8]

edit/woops..double posted some how

 

[dixiegirl21191]

Would a coral dip get him out?

 

[Treezer8]

Would a coral dip get him out?

It looks like from the people who have had them, have had to surgically take them out

 

[Kelz88]

Nope you have to dig them out, was looking at those exact posts last night before i went to bed.

Im also assuming thats what she is, a gall crab. Still in there atm though may try and get him out soon. Hopefully w/o killing the coral

 

[Treezer8]

Nope you have to dig them out, was looking at those exact posts last night before i went to bed.

Im also assuming thats what she is, a gall crab. Still in there atm though may try and get him out soon. Hopefully w/o killing the coral

Definitely, asap. After seeing those pics of them with eggs..:shock:

 

[Kelz88]

Going to do it later, bf needs to take pics of the coral for the reef store he bought it from. After that I will take him out. (when he is poofy you cant see this guy)

 

[Bifferwine]

What is the diameter of the hole?

 

[Kelz88]

give or take about 3 mm's maybe 4 its pretty small

 

[chichimom79]

Wow, I had never heard of these gall crabs. They are yucky! Good luck on extraction!

 

[Kelz88]

I know im prolly gonna freak when i get him out lol. Those pics give me the chills. Can i superglue the hole after i take him out? If it was any other coral I would have, just scared that it will hurt the brain.

 

[Bifferwine]

I would try to get a drill bit that's a little bit larger than the hole and drill right into it. Maybe someone else will chime in and say "That's a bad idea!" though. :)

 

[Waddi]

Ooooo. Where'd ya get it from?

 

[wontonflip]

EEeEEwwww.....looks creepy...saw the pics in the links.

 

[Kelz88]

its one of the new corals on afk's website lol.

The thing is downright nightmare material lol, didnt get it out yet the brain is beyond poofy lol. Ill try either after i turn out the lights or in the morning, and ill share some pics if i am sucessful.

 

[Kelz88]

I did manage to get most of this crab out, couldnt get the hard shell part out but I ripped out the eggsack and stabbed the remainder multiple times.

Here a pic of the eggsack

And the brain now

 

[chichimom79]

That is a beautiful brain, and Im glad you got that sucker out of there! Good job!

 

[Mandarin66]

Lol good job getting the crab out and nice brain coral :D