Have I been harboring a criminal? SPS (eating?) crab?

[sandra6500]

I've had most these corals in my tank for quite a while. The guy below has been in there for a while. He came attached to an acro I bought- that particular acro has never thrived nor died... Its just sort of there. It hasn't been that long so I figured maybe it just needed time. When I bought colony he came on I was told he was an SPS crab like my trapezia crab that lives in my birdsnest.

He stayed on that same coral for a while, however lately I have noticed him moving around a bit. No big deal I thought. Then I lost an acro almost overnight (as you can see in the pics). this morning I noticed him on my favorite coral and this evening I noticed that coral is looking sort of irritated (no polyp extension which is unusual).

Some quick googling points to him as a hardened criminal, ie coral eater... UGH.

Can someone on here confirm his identity? As you guys can see I removed him from the other coral and have him on the dead one in the sump. The pics were taken out of water so he looks a little smoother. He is actually hairy looking in water. Cute little critter all things considered.

So harmless SPS crab or does he get the chair?

The pics get bigger if you click on them- sorry, I haven't figured out how to post them full sized.

 

[Chichas01]

can't remember the name, but I beleive that those little buggers with the blacked tip clawed are bad bad bad. send him to the sump or take him out.

 

[sandra6500]

Crap- had him ID'd and hes a small gorilla crab. No wonder I lost two acros. SIGH.

Anyone want a cute blue eyed crab?

 

[estanoche]

hmmm gorilla crabs are bad - if the ID is right time for fresh crab cakes?????

 

[flatteringchild]

agree with black-tipped claw crabs... have always been bad news

 

[Pronster]

Don't kill him,Sump him

 

[sandra6500]

I tried to sump him but he climbs over the baffles and got stuck on my pump. He's living in a tupperware container at the moment. I don't have the heart to kill him but he will die eventually in this setup (I am feeding him, but the water doesn't stay as warm).

Anyone want a cute(ish) baby gorilla crab? LOL

 

[Pronster]

This is the one i found in my rock

 

[sandra6500]

Best tank related video EVER. "Thanks for not killing me!" Bawhahahahhahaha

 

[Pronster]

See there's no way you can kill him now. Just think how bad you will feel

 

[estanoche]

See there's no way you can kill him now. Just think how bad you will feel

mutiny!! mutiny!!! crab cakes!!!

haha, seriously though, every time I've tried to sump a critter it just dies a slow death - euthanizing may be more humane if you are not going to give him proper food to eat (ie meaty nuggets) - Crabs need more than detritus to really "thrive" and live a long healthy life, thats why they eat our corals and fish in our tanks.

 

[returnofsid]

Another warning, about sumping it. I found a crab, awhile back, eating Zoanthids. It was eating ENTIRE COLONIES, over night. I finally caught it,

It was a bit bigger than yours.

Eating it wasn't an option, as I IDd it as Atergatis floridus, which are actually toxic, so in the refugium it went.

It did like yours did, and made it over the baffles. Unfortunately, mine went the other way and ended up in the skimmer compartment.

Here's what it did, to my skimmer air intake line.

I returned it to the refugium and moved my heater, which is how I think it climbed the baffles. About a month later, it made it into the return area, where I was concerned about it chomping through the power cord, on my return pump!! However, I left it there. Awhile later, it completely plugged my Mag18 return pump! It was taken out to die!

 

[Chichas01]

I've had 2 in my tank. One was taken out by my reef lobster the other got his little butt boiled when I found several aptasia on a new piece of LR that he happened to be hiding in. He blended in well until he turned bright pink after his little bath. Got lucky on that one. :badgrin::badgrin:

 

[sandra6500]

Mine is still living in the small sterlite box I put him in. He might be a little cold but I gave him some rubble live rock and I'm feeding him daily. I need to figure out what to do with him, but I don't have it in me to kill him. I may try putting him back in the sump, but I have no idea how he got over the baffles the first time. Ugh

 

[Pronster]

Is he climbing up any power cables in there. If not then maybe hes climbing up the silicone

 

[returnofsid]

Find someone with a Trigger, Lion Fish, Puffer Fish, etc. and let them have it, as food.