Please ID Hitchhiker Crab

[snake]

It took me a week to track this guy down, there is another one in the tank. Are these guys ok to have?

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I rarely trust hitchhiker crabs but these sure look a lot like emerald crabs Mithrax sculpas except for the larger claws. Where did they come from?
http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&q=Mithrax+sculptus&btnG=Search+Images

 

[gotfish]

That's what my emerald crabs' claws look like. Basically it looks like a red mithrax crab except for the legs. This one doesn't have the hairy legs like a mithrax does. Then again, it could just be the photo.

 

[snake]

I rarely trust hitchhiker crabs but these sure look a lot like emerald crabs Mithrax sculpas except for the larger claws. Where did they come from?
http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&q=Mithrax+sculptus&btnG=Search+Images

He came from the Bali Alor rocks.

That's what my emerald crabs' claws look like. Basically it looks like a red mithrax crab except for the legs. This one doesn't have the hairy legs like a mithrax does. Then again, it could just be the photo.

Here is a bigger photo and he does have some hair on the legs.

 

[gotfish]

He came from the Bali Alor rocks.



Here is a bigger photo and he does have some hair on the legs.

If that's the case, then I'd say it's a red mithrax. If they are, that's kind of cool cause they seem to be pretty rare around here in the LFS. Don't take that as the truth though cause I'm no expert on ID'ing things.

 

[snake]

So are they good crabs? Should I put him back? He is in the sump right now.

 

[gotfish]

So are they good crabs? Should I put him back? He is in the sump right now.

They are good algae/detritus eaters. Just like all crabs though, they are opportunistic scavengers and will eat whatever they can grab if they're hungry enough. I have 2 green mithrax crabs and have never had any problems that I've seen. Others on here have noticed them picking at zoa's and the like. My opinion is still just a guess though, I'm not positive on whether that's a red mithrax or not. Like I said, I'm no expert.

 

[mfinn]

Just my opinion, if it's worth it to risk any corals such as zoanthids, mushrooms, or any small frags that he could drag off, then leave him in the tank.
After having lost many small zoanthid frags over the years, any crabs I find in my tanks that I didn't put in there myself, I dispose of.

 

[Herefishyfishy]

Just my opinion, if it's worth it to risk any corals such as zoanthids, mushrooms, or any small frags that he could drag off, then leave him in the tank.
After having lost many small zoanthid frags over the years, any crabs I find in my tanks that I didn't put in there myself, I dispose of.

I agree entirely

 

[vwmoneypit]

If u search on some of the horror stories It is worth to remove if u dont trust...!Do u have a refuge?Maybe chuck them in there?But i would just watch them and see!

 

[Myteemouse]

put him in your sump and let him have his own little heaven!
Can't harm corals down there!
I actually have a HUGE (1 1/2") rock crab in my sump and that's his little home!
Nothing down there he can hurt so he just hangs out and cleans up any food down there!!

 

[boosted306]

Adam has the right things going. Throw both of them in the sump. They're going to eat and food that flows by and would be beneficial.

 

[snake]

Just caught the other one The pinchers are different on this guy.

Click for larger pic

Click for larger pic