Hitchhiker Crab (black claws)

I got a new coral today and noticed a hitchhiker hiding in it. Couldn't tell what it was at first and put the coral in my tank. As I sat there watching it, I noticed it was a small crab. It moved around in the coral just enough for me to get a glimpse of it. After a minute of Googleing, I found a picture that looks very close to what this crab looks like:


From what I'm reading this isn't reef safe.

Right now the coral is sitting in a bucket of water and I'm waiting for the crab to crawl off it. I dropped a food pellet in the bucket hoping that it would leave the coral to eat the food.

Is there a better way to get hitchhikers like this off coral without harming the coral?

have you tried to do a dip?

Cheeser said:

have you tried to do a dip?

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Like a freshwater dip? I haven't yet. I'm not sure if it will harm the coral (it's a Montipora).

I ran out of patience and grabbed some tweezers. Hopefully I didn't harm the coral by keeping it out of water for a minute. Got the little bastard though...

Not sure what to do with this thing. I'm hesitant to put him in my sump because I would like the options to trade sump rocks with display rocks and I don't want to accidentally put him in the display.

Looks like a xanthid crab to me!

Crab Hitch Hikers

Bifferwine said:

Looks like a xanthid crab to me!

Crab Hitch Hikers

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I agree. Research says they eat coral polyps and protect the host coral from larger predators... But I'm assuming that's still not a good thing for a display tank.

I recently caught a hitch hiker crab....I know I will piss someone off but I killed it..

Ted said:

I recently caught a hitch hiker crab....I know I will piss someone off but I killed it..

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This little guy is still sitting in a bowl with a little algea. Not sure if he'll be alive by morning, and not sure what I'll do with it. At this point I'll most likely fling it into the back yard. ;)

Maybe see if a lfs will take it off ur hands.