Hitch hiker crab reef safe?

[leotigris]

Hi All,

I’m new to the hobby and have a 123l (Fluval Sea) with 2 clowns. I’ll do a proper intro post with more details of my setup soon.

I have a hitchhiker on one of my live rocks, I’ve managed to take it out of the tank but have no idea what it is.

I would really appreciate it if someone can help ID it and tell me if it’s reef safe.

I think it shed its shell earlier, here’s a pic of that too

Thanks

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Hi All,

I’m new to the hobby and have a 123l (Fluval Sea) with 2 clowns. I’ll do a proper intro post with more details of my setup soon.

I have a hitchhiker on one of my live rocks, I’ve managed to take it out of the tank but have no idea what it is.

I would really appreciate it if someone can help ID it and tell me if it’s reef safe.

I think it shed its shell earlier, here’s a pic of that too

Thanks

Never been good ID’ing crabs, but can tag some peps who are good.

@vetteguy53081 @KJ should be able to help you out.

 

[WVNed]

I think that is a porcelain crab and I would put it back in the tank.

 

[sbreefco]

Porcelain crab. Good

 

[leotigris]

Thanks for the quick replies.

Out of interest what are the features that ID it as a Porcelin?

 

[WVNed]

The shape, the long feelers which most crabs dont have and the feeder combs which are more visible on the molt.
These crabs are filter feeders

 

[vetteguy53081]

Not a porcelain but rather a xanthid crab. Not to be trusted in the tank but you can place in the sump. It will graze on algae and you can drop him a little food every now and then.
Not as bad as gorilla crab but still a naughty one.

 

[dhnguyen]

Most crabs are opportunistic so I would not trust it unless you can 100% identify it as a reef safe species.

 

[WVNed]

Not a porcelain but rather a xanthid crab. Not to be trusted in the tank but you can place in the sump. It will graze on algae and you can drop him a little food every now and then.
Not as bad as gorilla crab but still a naughty one.

Xanthid crabs dont have the long feelers. Also notice that porcelain crabs only have 3 legs on each side and not 4.

The one above is a porcelain crab

 

[ScottR]

Thanks for the quick replies.

Out of interest what are the features that ID it as a Porcelin?

@WVNed got it. Porcelain crabs aren’t true crabs. They have 6 legs as you can see. Crabs have 8 legs.

 

[ScottR]

And FWIW, there are many unidentified porcelain crabs out there. So you may not find the exact ID you’re looking for.

 

[leotigris]

Here’s a closer look, want to be sure as I don’t have a sump but a closed of section at the back for the filters, sump, heater etc.

From what I can see it has long feelers, which it has been waving about rapidly, 3 legs on each side and feather like hair on the claw.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ve known porcelain to be more smooth shell but true, there are Many varieties.

 

[KJ]

Xanthid crabs dont have the long feelers. Also notice that porcelain crabs only have 3 legs on each side and not 4.

The one above is a porcelain crab

Agree.

 

[leotigris]

Thanks for your help everybody, it’s back in the tank now hiding in the rock. Hopefully it will make an appearance soon.

 

[WVNed]

I have a video of mine eating at night that I cant seem to get off of my phone.

 

[WVNed]

Mine has scarier claws than yours

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Glad you got it ID’d. I need to study up on crabs lol. One of weak points. But I will leave you with one of my 6 porcelain crabs that lives with an 18” haddoni.

 

[leotigris]

Finally got around to writing the Build Thread :)

No sign of the porcelain crab yet, will have to do a night time hunt :D