So I got a weird crab

[Aeiyr]

So I got my first two fish today. Ordered from Dr.Reefs quarantined fish. With the fish I also ordered a very small Cuc. It's a 14g nano tank. Well they goofed and instead of the small bits, they sent me packs of 10 of each invert I ordered. 30 snails and 20 crabs later, one of the scarlet Hermit crabs doesn't look so scarlet to me.

He lives in an odd shell, conch shell maybe? But he's not a Halloween I don't think. He's also massive compared to the other Scarlets he arrived with. Pictures included. He's a dark brown/burgundy color with specles all over.

Anyways I'm keeping him. I've already named him Gorbathrax the ReefBreaker.

What is he?

 

[FernFish]

Bump

 

[twentyleagues]

idk but its cool looking.

 

[Aeiyr]

idk but its cool looking.

Right!? He's maybe just smaller than a ping-pong ball. Maybe a U.S 50c peice would be a good reference. The other 9 he was with are all bright red and for sure Scarlets in typical snail shells.

He's super cool.

 

[neonreef3d]

I would monitor the crab, it may want to nip on corals...

 

[littlefoxx]

Right!? He's maybe just smaller than a ping-pong ball. Maybe a U.S 50c peice would be a good reference. The other 9 he was with are all bright red and for sure Scarlets in typical snail shells.

He's super cool.

I cant see the picture

 

[Reefing102]

My phone won’t play the mp4, but if you have a screenshot from it, it may help

 

[Keko21]

Cool little dude there!

 

[Aeiyr]

I would monitor the crab, it may want to nip on corals...

No corals yet. It's a new tank, cycled recently for 6 weeks, it's on its 7th week now.

It will be a soft and lps coral nano, but corals won't happen until I know its stabilized and I can get a good maintenance routine going, so I'm aiming for 3 months if it goes very well, to maybe 4 months.

 

[Aeiyr]

My phone won’t play the mp4, but if you have a screenshot from it, it may help

I cant see the picture

Gonna try attaching the photo again.

 

[Kanshi]

Looks like it could be a white spotted hermit. (Dardanus megistos). Video is hard to tell. If it is, they can get to softball size

 

[Aeiyr]

Looks like it could be a white spotted hermit. (Dardanus megistos). Video is hard to tell. If it is, they can get to softball size

More importantly, is he reef safe? I'm looking to move into my first corals in 3 to 4 months. Softies and beginner LPS.

If he gets big that's okay. He can join the journey to the next tank in a year or two. But if he eats corals, no beuno.

 

[Reefing102]

Not sure but awesome looking.

 

[Kanshi]

More importantly, is he reef safe? I'm looking to move into my first corals in 3 to 4 months. Softies and beginner LPS.

If he gets big that's okay. He can join the journey to the next tank in a year or two. But if he eats corals, no beuno.

If that is what he is, not reef safe.

 

[Aeiyr]

If that is what he is, not reef safe.

dang. I was hoping he was. He will be watched and removed to a FOWLR owner if so. I don't have the heart to just bounce a healthy living critter. I'll find him a home at my expense if needed.

Man he's so cool though.

 

[JoJosReef]

Love the name!

 

[Kanshi]

If that is what he is, not reef safe.

Do the white spots have black rings around them

dang. I was hoping he was. He will be watched and removed to a FOWLR owner if so. I don't have the heart to just bounce a healthy living critter. I'll find him a home at my expense if needed.

Man he's so cool though.

Do the white spots have black rings around them?

 

[Aeiyr]

Do the white spots have black rings around them

Do the white spots have black rings around them?

From what I can see, no. And looking at some photos of white spotted hermits, he's much more of an iron brown/red rather than the brighter red of the spotted ones. But that could be because he's smaller/young. I'll try to take better pictures if I can spot him wandering again.

 

[Kanshi]

From what I can see, no. And looking at some photos of white spotted hermits, he's much more of an iron brown/red rather than the brighter red of the spotted ones. But that could be because he's smaller/young. I'll try to take better pictures if I can spot him wandering again.

Look up White-speckled Hermit Crab. They are more of a reddish brown.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Based on the spotting on the eye stalks, it does look like it may be Paguristes puncticeps, the White-speckled Hermit Crab.