Crab hitchhiker

[jcosta26]

Anyone know what type of crab this is? Stays in this poccilipora

 

[Wilsoni]

That's a Tapezia Acro Crab! Keep him in there :D

 

[Wilsoni]

I have 5 of them in my tank. I love watching Emerald crabs come too close to the colony they host. They will swing their arms in a quick snapping motion. It's so entertaining. Lol

 

[Wilsoni]

Make sure you take him out prior to dipping the colony then reintroduce him after

 

[Wiz]

Cool!

 

[Naiad]

Need to get me one. Caught some emerald crabs in my colony one night. Next morning clear damage.... [emoji35]

 

[Wilsoni]

Crabs are a love hate relationship... So far the Acro Crab has proven itself to be the only crab I've found which doesn't suddenly go rogue for no apparent reason... They just hang out and defend their colony.

 

[Naiad]

Crabs are a love hate relationship... So far the Acro Crab has proven itself to be the only crab I've found which doesn't suddenly go rogue for no apparent reason... They just hang out and defend their colony.

My porcelain crabs seem to be well behaved but yea other than those guys I have chased many others off. They usually get one warning. I increase food a bit but if they go back to the corals they are gone.

 

[Wilsoni]

My porcelain crabs seem to be well behaved but yea other than those guys I have chased many others off. They usually get one warning. I increase food a bit but if they go back to the corals they are gone.

Yeah I will actually give my Porcelain credit, he's peaceful and always stays put in the back of my tank away from all coral. My Anenome Crab on the other hand began literally munching on my baby dendro heads... Out of frustration I tried scaring him away with tongs and he went right back to picking at them. I then attempted to grab him with the tongs causing him to drop both arms... Now he hangs out without arms in a hole catching food throughout the day...

Supposedly the arms will regrow after several moltings.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I need to advertise. Acro crab wanted! Can come with coral, i guess.

 

[Wilsoni]

I need to advertise. Acro crab wanted! Can come with coral, i guess.

Haha that's probably the best way to get them. They come in frequently on mari pieces.

The Bandit Acro Crabs are the ones I'm trying to track down. They host various acropora colonies whereas Trapezia prefer Pocilliporade species. I would have an acro crab in each of my colonies if I could.

 

[Wilsoni]

I need to advertise. Acro crab wanted! Can come with coral, i guess.

Do you have a wholesaler near you that gets maricultured SPS often? I know of one LFS here that was getting them in on almost every colony and tossing the crabs because they assumed they were pests... A little research can go a long way. :eek:

Maybe there's a reason they're on every colony ;)

I'd understand if they were Gorilla Crabs though...

 

[Wilsoni]

Speaking of molting. It's such a strange coincidence that I brought up my Anemone Crab losing it's arms. I came home an hour after that post to find he molted and has his arms back...

So weird