unidentified creature

hello everyone,
I have some kind of creature hiding in a hole in one of my larger LR. I have never seen him come out, but if I shine a flashlight in the hole he looks dark gray, I believe some sort of crab, but i dont believe he has a shell. Last week I added a feather duster to the tank, the next morning the feathers were slightly scattered, and the body was GONE! Anyone have any ideas on catching the little bastard or what he is?
thx
buzzzsaw

 

WELCOME TO 3REEF!!!

If it is a crab, it has a shell (or exoskeleton) by definition.

It might not have been the crab's fault. Sometimes tubeworms expell their head (which can grow back later) after being attacked but also if they don't like the water parameters.

 

so he could still be somewhere in the tank? Thanks for the welcome, I have been looking at the site for awhile now, just recently joined...So far I have gotten tons of info from the members...

 

Welcome Tim!

 

Thanks Craig! Well I finally saw the creature! It is an emarald crab that hides in caves in the live rock. Does anyone think he ate the tube worm? Should I try to catch him, or is he alright to have in my reef tank?

 

Emerald crabs are almost always green (sometimes red). You mentioned gray earlier. Whenever someone mentions a gray crab I worry about Eriphia Sebana otherwise known as the red eyed crab from Heck.

What color is it?

 

try to get a better look at it the emerald crab will be green colored, if its grey or brown it could be a rock crab they can become nasty and fish hunters when they get bigger. i have caught 2 crabs by using a soda bottle. take the bottle cut the top off and turn it around maby glue it in place then place a chunk of bait in it like clam or squid and place it near the hole where you think the critter lives. he can get in but cant get out

 

He is definately gray in color, and he is burrowing in a piece of live rock. I have only seen him with a flashlight hiding in one of the holes. I will try the bottle trick for sure. Thx

 

Hey Buzzsaw!

Happy Hunting! Could ya post a picture of the little sucker if you catch him? Would be interesting....for us following your issue here... ;D

 

Good luck!