sandy hairy crab?!?

[nhandd]

Hi all,

Not sure if this is the appropriate section to post this hitchhiker. New to hobby, I got live rocks about 1 month ago. I just saw half of crab poking out of a hole. It looks like a hairy sandy spider. But I did see pinchers. Is this reef safe? This is what I have in my tank:

2 GSM
1 cleaner shrimp
1 peppermint shrimp
xenia
orange cap

Thanks in advance!

P.S. I found a black spiny urchin last week. It doesn't move too much, when it does, it looks like it it is eating coraline algae. Is this urchin ok too? It is so neat
nhan

 

[Elmo18]

Hi Nhan. IMO, all crabs are opportunistic scavengers. I would definitely take out crabs that have black-tip pinchers AND hairy.

If the crab is hairy, it doesn't mean its bad. Emerald crabs are hairy, and not considered bad (although crab haters will say otherwise).

If you see it again, try look for any distinguishing characteristics, or if you have that digi cam take a photo

- Ilham

 

[Kensn]

Urchins will eat coraline, they help spread it. Good algae eaters also, and he was free!!

 

[diablo]

i have the same crazy spider crab. mine hides in a hole in a peice of live rock when the moon light come on he comes out knocking over frags ive tried to get pics of him but it is difficult to see him in the pics. he looks like a clump of detritious. looks like a spider ( and i freakin hate spiders ) but with a emerald crab body and super hairy.

 

[NaH2O]

My advice would be to take the crabs out and place them in the sump.

With regards to the urchin - as Ken posted, by eating the coralline it is helping it spread. You will be able to see where it has been....a mowed path through algae. They do eat some of the tougher algaes that other critters don't touch.

 

[nhandd]

Thanks for the advice. I will try to get a pic of it, but it was hiding in the liverock so it was hard to get a good pic. But this morning, it's not in the same hole. I can't find it anywhere . I don't think it's an emerald crab though. It definitely look like a hairy spider. I did see the pincher, and they were black tip. It was next to the xenia, but I don't think it has hurted yet. Does it eat red legged hermits? I did find an empty hermit shell with no hermits in sight near that rock. It was sad as I don't know what happened to the hermit. Anyways, not sure how I am going to catch this crab.

Yea I love the urchin. It's very cool and like Ken said free!!! I could see it has grown too, it is the size of medium gumball, the spikes are getting longer.

Thanks again.

Nhan

 

[Pauls]

I,ve got or hopefully had the same crab in my tank. Tan, hairy, large claws with black tips, over all size about the size of a quarter. If yours is the same it will eat all your hermits. Mine went through about 50 in a month. I havent seen him in quite a while, i also havent added any more hermits for him to eat. I tried to catch him with the inverted 20 oz bottle trick, but no luck. I dont want to add any hermits until im sure he's gone but i may have to just to see if he's gone. If they live more than about a week i guess he is gone. Any way get a picture and get him out. good luck.

 

[nhandd]

Yikes! For the last week, I have been trying to count my hermits (10) but I have only came up with 6. I know one is gone due to empty shell but I can't find other empty shells anywhere else. Those red legged hermits are cute. Dang it, I better get that crab out. I should have tried it yesterday when I knew which hole he was in. Hmmm....does it eat snails too? That would explain why one of my snail is just an empty shell.
Grrrrrrr

 

[Pauls]

Hmmm....does it eat snails too? That would explain why one of my snail is just an empty shell.
Grrrrrrr

Mine doesn't have a hankerin for escargo, but yours may. i would explain the missing snails and empty shells. Also mine wouldn't eat all of the hermits just the soft body tissues inside the shell. get to catching

 

[NaH2O]

Take look at this nasty furry crab. A few of us helped a local reefer here move his tank, and I found this in his fuge. I swear when I saw it, it was the size of a dinner plate......but when we pulled it out, he was only a little bigger than a quarter . I probably won't ever live that one down. This pic was taken by the owner of the muppet crab...ejsimcox. He had no idea the crab was in there, so it must have found something yummy to eat and grow to the size he is. Since he caused such a laughing good time (at my expense) , he gets to keep his home. I swear I had nightmares about that crab.

 

[diablo]

I GOT CRABS
lol anyways that looks like my crab. hmmm guessing not reef safe how to remove or should i go stab it with a stick right now. or throw the peice of rock into my f/o for a week. or anybody have a idea and wants him? if you can fish him out of his hole you can take him home lol.

 

[spongebob lover]

I GOT CRABS

you got what lol !!
Hey that crab is cute

 

[nhandd]

OMG, that is one furry crab. My crab doesn't really look like that. It actually look more like a spider. But maybe it looks different under water. But I have yet to find it anywhere. Apparently it saw me looking at it suspiciously and moved to a different hole. Hmmmm...

Does red hermits molt? I have seen like 3 hermits replica on the sand, but I only found 1 empty shell.