hariy hitchhiker

[natan]

[Instead of a picture (I'll upload it when I can): a hairy chunky crab, about 0.5 in across the longest axis of the body, yellow ends of lags, dark shall, light hair, possibly red eyes.]

This hitchhiker looks cute but how safe is it? It took me a month to first observe it (just as I was getting jealous of other reef folks getting so many cool surprises with their life rocks). From preliminary observations it seems it feeds on algae or organic matter on them - which is probably good.

 

[dustin_P74]

most likely an emerald crab, amazingly good part of a clean up crew, i would keep it and get more

 

[kimoy]

IMO if it is hairy and I don't recognize it I toss it in the sump or give it to someone with predator tank. my theory is if it is hairy it is bad.

 

[kimoy]

it could be a gorilla crab....bad...very very bad.

 

[dustin_P74]

well kimoy emerald crabs have hairy legs

 

[kimoy]

I don't like em either. they can be a nuisance once they get big. I guess they are ok if you don't have sps and they are still small but once they get big it's another story.

 

[fatman]

I woud not sell a crab, even to a person I did not like.

 

[kimoy]

I woud not sell a crab, even to a person I did not like.

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[fatman]

There are no good crabs, just killer crabs. Even those sweet little hermit crabs are killers. They have a place in the wild, like minature vultures of the sea. In a small closed ecosystem such as a reef tank there are just to many better options for accomplishing what they wiil do.

 

[Bifferwine]

Hairy crabs are usually bad. Post a pic if you can.

 

[reeffreak]

Xanthid crab from your description but I can't be sure without a picture.

So far,it sounds bad,more predator than an algae grazer.

 

[natan]

Here is an image:

 

[kimoy]

the image is still in the blurr for identification. I would keep it off your DT untill you get a good picture and confirmation of its identity.

 

[fatman]

Looks like this to me. Gorilla or stone crab. Bad guy.

 

[dustin_P74]

defiantly a predator and needs to go

 

[yote]

I wouldnt trust it in my tank.