small crab living in my war favia

[cmn3]

was watching my tank and noticed my war favia seems to have a small crab living in a dead hole in the coral how do you extract it or should I leave it? cant get a pick or even describe it. damn thing only sticks its head out enough to tell that its some kind of crab only way I noticed it was when a fish swam by somthing moved so I started watching... ive only had this coral for about two weeks so I am sure its a hitcher

 

[cmn3]

I am not even sure its a crab it has little tiny claws and keeps poping up and ducking back in the emty hole like a wack a mole game??

 

[Peppie]

Well it surly didnt take me two weeks to realize I had crabs..LOL As I understand some are OK and some are not. If you have a QT tank set up maybe you could set it in there and try to get rid of the critter to come out to eat in a trap.
What ever you decide to do DO NOT take NTswift's advice on how to kill a crab.

 

[cmn3]

no QT tank but he does not seem to be a travler. just stays in the safty of his little hole so it would be easy to kill him if need be.. and I will not be camping out all night or emtying out my tank any time soon.... I hope

 

[Peppie]

Have you tried a nite time viewing?

 

[cmn3]

yup was just down there checkin him out and all he does is pop his head out far nuff to eat still cant tell what the heck it is... so small about the size of an eraser

 

[mcoomer]

Just watch the coral and if it appears to be stressed by the crabs activity then take out the crab. Otherwise, I'd leave the crab in place.

Mike

 

[TJL]

Sounds like you may have a 'Coral Hermit Crab' ; Paguritta sp Google it and let us know if this is the little guy your seeing.

Todd

 

[estanoche]

freshwater dips are a sure fire way to get that crab outta there - and I've yet to have an LPS react negatively to a FW dip - just get your PH and temp the same as your tank, drop it in for a few minutes, flush the crab out with a turkey baster - and tada!! crab gone!!

found a pair of gall crabs in an acan once by doing a FW dip prior to placing in my tank - so glad I did

bad crab =

 

[sandra6500]

You sure its not just a regular SPS crab? I have 3-4 of them in my tank and they are actually beneficial to the coral. They really don't even more from SPS to SPS, but rather stay put. The one in my birdsnest is pretty big- on the days I feed Rods I spot feed them all. They are pretty cool and have all sort of figured out the routine. I really like mine!