Help Crab ID

Frigideus

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 2, 2025
Messages
103
Reaction score
48
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Need help identifying this guy. He is about the size of a quarter/half dollar. piercing red eyes. his appendages look too thin and long to be a gorilla but i could be wrong. kind of looks like a mithrax. sorry about the green going through uglies and my blues were on in this photo so i had to shine a flashlight on it to take the picture before he got away.
let me know if i should try and trap and sump this guy.

off tbs rock.

1776216312490.png
1776216322383.png
 
Last edited:

rayadog

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2025
Messages
1,117
Reaction score
1,046
Location
PA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Looks like a mithrax to me as well but would like another confirmation
 
OP
OP
F

Frigideus

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 2, 2025
Messages
103
Reaction score
48
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
thanks and same! i hope someone knows so i dont trap him for no reason
 

LiverockRocks

Florida Live Rock Farm
View Badges
Joined
Apr 6, 2021
Messages
1,411
Reaction score
2,651
Location
Tampa
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Those pink tipped blunt claws are a sure giveaway....Mithrax pleuracanthus.
Shaggy Mithrax are naturals at cleaning ocean live rock. However, if underfed, they will be opportunistic. Consider sinking fish pellets, nori, macro algae and even clams on the half shell. These guys are easy to catch when larger with a net, tongs, or the glass/glass trap; then add to your sump or donate to a LFS.

IMG_5761.jpg
Esposito crab2.jpg

IMG_5755.jpg
 
OP
OP
F

Frigideus

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 2, 2025
Messages
103
Reaction score
48
Location
USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Those pink tipped blunt claws are a sure giveaway....Mithrax pleuracanthus.
Shaggy Mithrax are naturals at cleaning ocean live rock. However, if underfed, they will be opportunistic. Consider sinking fish pellets, nori, macro algae and even clams on the half shell. These guys are easy to catch when larger with a net, tongs, or the glass/glass trap; then add to your sump or donate to a LFS.

IMG_5761.jpg
Esposito crab2.jpg

IMG_5755.jpg
thank you! so if i want to get a clam he needs to go to the sump? @LiverockRocks
 

rayadog

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 9, 2025
Messages
1,117
Reaction score
1,046
Location
PA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not guaranteed he’d pick the clam if it’s a big one but better not hedge your bets on it vs your investment.
 

LiverockRocks

Florida Live Rock Farm
View Badges
Joined
Apr 6, 2021
Messages
1,411
Reaction score
2,651
Location
Tampa
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
They are not known to eat live clams. We keep larger shaggy mithrax in holding systems with bivalves on live rock. They do not bother living bivalves.

(I was referring to using previously frozen grocery store clams to feed hungry crabs.)
 

TOP 10 Trending Threads

HOW DO YOU ADJUST YOUR CUC AS ALGAE DISAPPEARS?

  • Capture and re-home CUC

    Votes: 10 8.4%
  • Increase white light/hours in tank to spur algae growth to feed CUC

    Votes: 8 6.7%
  • Feed nori to support CUC

    Votes: 39 32.8%
  • Feed herbivore pellets to support CUC

    Votes: 42 35.3%
  • Allow attrition to balance CUC and algae

    Votes: 51 42.9%
  • Provide macro algae to feed CUC

    Votes: 8 6.7%
  • Introduce CUC predators

    Votes: 1 0.8%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 12 10.1%
Back
Top