Crab Identification Assistance

Brian Drab · Oct 22, 2020

This guy blends in so good with the rock it's extremely hard to get a really good picture but hopefully this is good enough. Any idea what type of Crab this is? Most importantly is it reef safe?

SHNICI · Oct 22, 2020

not sure, it's very hairy, and yes it look like part of the LR

vetteguy53081 · Oct 22, 2020

Looks like a stone crab typically found on Florida live rock. Note that any crab with hair is likely going to be an issue for sps crab

MERKEY · Oct 22, 2020

Thats a crazy looking crab!

How long have you noticed him? Have you seen him nipping on anything?

Strangewaterchange · Oct 22, 2020

Thats a gorilla crab. They are not reef safe, and can grow large and kill your fish too. You should definitely remove it when you have the chance.

Billdogg · Oct 23, 2020

Drop it into your sump, forget about, and then don't jump to far when, in a couple years, you are doing something down there and there's an much larger version of it staring back at you. It will happily live down there eating whatever comes it's way.

Brian Drab · Oct 23, 2020

Thank you everyone!! I just removed a very large stone crab so I'll try to figure out how to capture this gorilla crab.

Brian Drab · Oct 23, 2020

MERKEY said:
Thats a crazy looking crab!

How long have you noticed him? Have you seen him nipping on anything?

He's been there since I put the live rock in the tank. So over 8 months. I don't have any fish or coral in the tank yet. So I'll try to get him before I do.