Crab id

[jomatty]

Any ideas on what this little guy is? Showed up on a trachy today.

 

[Dragon52]

i don't think that's a keeper but lets get some better eyes on it.
@ReefSquad

 

[jomatty]

I bought this tank used around six months ago. Never saw anything like this in there before. It’s actually kind of cool looking with pinkish claws...I thought it was at nudibranch at a glance and was real unhappy.

 

[Dragon52]

Try this Website.

Account Suspended

 

[El_Guapo13]

Honestly, had I not zoomed in on the pic, or knew that you had it in water, I would have thought you had posted a pic of a tick.

 

[BloopFish]

What other inhabitants do you have? It looks like a decapod of some sort - something like a crab or porcelain crab. The picture is not in focus and it is a bit too blue to identify further.

 

[BloopFish]

Honestly, had I not zoomed in on the pic, or knew that you had it in water, I would have thought you had posted a pic of a tick.

I count 5 legs (including claw), its luckily not an arachnid of some sort - more likely a decapod.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Looks like zoa eating sea spider to me.

 

[KJ]

Any ideas on what this little guy is? Showed up on a trachy today.

Gall crab.

cryptochiridae - Google Search

 

[jomatty]

A video in a little bit better picture

 

[KJ]

A video in a little bit better picture

Gall crab.

 

[jomatty]

This thing is so small it’s really hard to take pictures of. And the blue light the claws are pink which is kind of cool.

 

[jomatty]

Gall crab.

cryptochiridae - Google Search

I’m not finding a lot of information on them. Now that it’s out would you keep it out? It sounds like they don’t do much damage but then again I’m not sure I want them digging into things

 

[KJ]

I’m not finding a lot of information on them. Now that it’s out would you keep it out? It sounds like they don’t do much damage but then again I’m not sure I want them digging into things

– Feeding Biology and Mouthpart Morphology of Three Species of Coral Gall Crabs (Decapoda: Cryptochiridae)

 

[BloopFish]

I agree with the ID. They make little nooks and crannies. Pretty sure they eat coral mucus and perhaps tissue like the paper KJ linked. Too bad you're in VA, would really enjoy having one as a specimen.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Looks like the bad kind of crabs. LOL

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Seriously looks like a tick though...

 

[BloopFish]

If you read the article KJ posted, it will caution you from classifying it as a parasite right away (or a pest in our case). The relationship between gall crabs and corals are poorly understood, and since they eat primarily the mucus of corals - it is likely not that harmful. It is also highly unlikely they will reproduce in large numbers in the reef aquaria because they are a crab. Their diet is similar to that of the Trapezia and Tetralia crab (acro crabs) in that they also eat coral mucus. Personally I would not kill it.

 

[jomatty]

Are you guys 100% on the ID? I’m really torn on this thing. I’ve had the tank for over six months so if I put it back and it ends up being the wrong decision I am unlikely to get another chance at finding it for a long time... That said, I don’t like killing anything if I can help it, especially not something that might be interesting to watch.

 

[BloopFish]

I would bet money on it. Compare it to other species of gall crabs, and there is a striking resemblance in body structure

https://bioone.org/ContentImages/Journals/invs/28/5/IS13064/graphic/IS13064_F1.gif

In addition, I am going to say I am 100% certain it is NOT a tick or mite or sea spider because it has 10 appendages, not 4. It is certainly a type of crab, and only the gall crab fits the physical description and your description of how you found it.