Friend or foe?

[Rover]

Not sure if an ID is possible from this photo, sorry best I could get with my old camera and the fact he was partly hidden away/ refused to pose and dissapeared into rockwork rather sharpish, will try again if/when reappears. Any help with ID'ing him would be greatly received and if ID is possible is it reefsafe?

ps don't have a sump so options will be limited as to what I can do with it if its not safe.

22

Thanks for looking
Kev.

[liquidlogic]

rly cant say from the picture but maybe sumone mor experienced can shed some light on it

[Macca]

I definetely need a better picture to id this fellow.

Most crabs are omnivores with a strong possibilty of being carnivores. Classic signs to look out for in a bad crab are black claws or pointed claws. Hairy crabs are also a bad feature although some mythrax crabs are quoted as being reef safe. Crabs claws as like human teeth. If they are sharp they are meat eaters if they are blunt they are more than likely to be omnivores. If unsure I would take back to your local LFS and give him a new home in someones sump. I tend to only stick with the well known "reef friendly" true crabs and obviously are still very cautious. Keep them small and always look out for danger signs. (missing livestock or damaged corals).

James

[Rover]

Many thanks for the replys, will try and get a better picture -though only seen it 3 times in ~3 months since new live rock went in. Looks like it will be out with the coke bottle trap over the next few days (any preference as to what 'bait' should be used?) then hopefully will be able to get at least a half decent photo and a more positve ID.

Cheers
Kev.

[liquidlogic]

yes me personaly wud take him straight out. on another forum this guys mithrax has just eaten his hitch hiking zoas :( nice ones too

[Macca]

Crabs claws as like human teeth. If they are sharp they are meat eaters if they are blunt they are more than likely to be omnivores.
James

LOL at my post!! Should have read animal teeth not human :D

James

[Rover]

Hopefully this is a better picture for ID'ing purposes, had to remove half the rockwork to catch it, coke bottle trap failed to catch anything.
Can be certain it's not reefsafe - was seen taking and happily munching on a red leg for it's lunch :mad:
As I don't have a sump, took it along to Marine Tech (excellant place, fantastic display tank, now if I can only pursuade SWMBO) who have kindly rehomed him.

http://reefcorals.co.uk/forums/imagehosting/984506ff203bed0.jpg


Unfortunately photo doesn't show front claws very well - there bright purple.

So any ideas??????

[Macca]

rough guess; Forget the markings as I dont know the exact species.

http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/HBS/invertguide/images/pachygrapsus1.jpg

but body shape, claws and legs tells me it is a grapsid crab. Was it very fast and hard to catch? If so I would go for this family.

James

[Rover]

It was pretty quick, think I surprised it when catching it, whipped the rock above it out pretty sharpish, didn't have time to move from its hole in the rock - was pretty difficult getting it out of the piece of rock though.