Crab ID

Found this little guy tonight. He must have been in my tank a while since I haven't bought anything in a few months but never noticed him before. It was hanging out in my zoa colony.

 

I am not able to find anything that remotely resembles that guy. With that said. In long tem no crab is really "reef safe". They are opportunistic feeders and even Mithrax crabs have been known to kill and eat fish, hermits eat snails, etc. Without a proper id I would not chance it and leave him out of the dt. I would remit him to the refugium if you have one but anywhere but the dt. That is just my $.02 and experience.

 

^^^^ I wouldn't put it back in the tank

 

yeah I must of looked at a couple hundred pictures trying to ID it but no luck either. Figured someone here might have seen one before. But it is my sump til I can find more info on it.

 

Size and shape say it is an Acropora Commenceral Crab.

That said, I will have to dig up my ID pics when I get home.

Can you get a better pic of the eyes and claws?

 

OK... I have searched through all my pics of the Trapezia and Tetralia Family of crabs. AKA... Acropora Commensal Crabs.

I also checked through almost a thousand... literally.. photos of Xanthid Crabs, AKA teddy bear, and such.

I cannot find an exact match anywhere. I do not however think it is one of the first "nice" ones. You will just have to make a determination if you want to chance it in your tank.

 

Sounds like you discovered a new species. Its reef safe if you say it is..... lol jk.
He looks pretty cool, if it were me i'd put him in the tank just to see what happens, because thats the fun part of this hobby. But thats just me. lol

 

He's awfully cute!

 

That's a cool looking crab. It would be awesome if it was safe for your reef.