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Help with crab ID

dangerbird

dangerbird

I was loosing a lot of snails and finally caught this guy. I think he came in with a shipment of Emerald crabs. They didn't eat my bubble algae but this gut ate everything else! Thanks

Dave
set-72157622095845514

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34490245@N07/sets/72157622095845514/
 
M

mr_X

it looks like a mithrax crab to me. a relative to the emerald crab(also a mithrax crab). it probably exhibits the same behavior as well. i don't think the death of the snails and this guy are related, but, you never know with crabs.
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

hmm - i would say that is not a mithrax crab. Crab identification is very difficult but it is more than likely to be part of the family (or is it genus - I forget) of the Xanthid group. All are predatory and do not belong in a reef tank.
 
J

Jcurry@wesketch

The body color made me think is was a mithrax crab. But the shape of the claws makes me think it's a Xanthid crab. I would remove it to the sump to be sure.
 
mikem

mikem

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
The differance in your crab and the mithrax is the claws, like Jeff said.
The mithrax has flat spots on the ends of their claws and predators don't. Remove him to the sump.
 
Hawkeye

Hawkeye

i do not like to contradict the guy with the abby normal avatar (lol) ;) - and I would agree and even say that hermit "crabs" can be predators as well. But that stated - the only crab I trust in the reef is a porcelain crab.
 
dangerbird

dangerbird

He definitely is a carnivore. I caught him with a silverside and he had it half gone by the time a got him. He is in the sump for now.
 
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