Gall crab in elegance?

[lba4590]

Not sure how concerned I need to be, but I discovered a tiny gall crab (I think) on my elegance. I noticed one side wasn’t quite opened and looked closer and found a tiny little crab with orange legs. I immediately grabbed it and got some tweezers and it was gone. Elegance was fully closed up so I didn’t want to go digging around not knowing where to dig and doing further damage. Dipped twice and the crab is still deeply embedded. Will it kill my elegance if I can’t get it?

 

[tsouth]

Gall crabs are known to be fairly harmless hitchhikers. All articles I've seen from reputable sources claim that they are not going to cause harm, therefore it boils down to your tolerance. From what I see in your picture, I would not have much tolerance towards allowing the crab to live inside the elegance, and therefore would prioritize it's removal from the elegance.

If you so decide to try to remove it, know that the tunnel they make is quite lengthy. I would advise using a syringe to flush it out using a mixture of your tank water and the dip of choice. Watch out and try not to drop the coral if the crab jumps out on your fingers!

 

[lba4590]

Gall crabs are known to be fairly harmless hitchhikers. All articles I've seen from reputable sources claim that they are not going to cause harm, therefore it boils down to your tolerance. From what I see in your picture, I would not have much tolerance towards allowing the crab to live inside the elegance, and therefore would prioritize it's removal from the elegance.

If you so decide to try to remove it, know that the tunnel they make is quite lengthy. I would advise using a syringe to flush it out using a mixture of your tank water and the dip of choice. Watch out and try not to drop the coral if the crab jumps out on your fingers!

Thank you! I finally removed him, what a creepy little creature! I noticed it dug a hole between the flesh and the skeleton, so I figured that probably wasn’t a good thing. Waited until the elegance completely retracted at night and he ventured from the hole. It was attached like a tick! So thankful I was able to get it, whether it was really harmful or not..

 

[tsouth]

Wowowow NICE! Fingers crossed!

 

[RobTorMar]

hey any updates on this? I have a gall crab in my trachy and debating whether I should get rid of it or not

 

[lba4590]

hey any updates on this? I have a gall crab in my trachy and debating whether I should get rid of it or not

Id get it out if you can. They seem to burrow wherever they want, which might be through coral tissue, and apparently crawl all over the tissue at night. Not something I wanted in my tank.. but it did take me several days to get him. Elegance is still doing well but there is still a hole between the flesh and skeleton.

 

[king aiptasia]

Thank you! I finally removed him, what a creepy little creature! I noticed it dug a hole between the flesh and the skeleton, so I figured that probably wasn’t a good thing. Waited until the elegance completely retracted at night and he ventured from the hole. It was attached like a tick! So thankful I was able to get it, whether it was really harmful or not..

he did not dig a hole, hard as it is to believe they make the coral grow a home for them and cause the coral to alter even its skeletal structure to accommodate the crab. some species become trapped in the coral as a stony prison. they never cause harm to the corals since they need a healthy coral to stay alive

 

[king aiptasia]

Id get it out if you can. They seem to burrow wherever they want, which might be through coral tissue, and apparently crawl all over the tissue at night. Not something I wanted in my tank.. but it did take me several days to get him. Elegance is still doing well but there is still a hole between the flesh and skeleton.

they sometimes crawl to feed on mucous and wastes deposited on the coral