Crab good or Bad? Im thinking no good!

mattheadington · 03/05/2007, 04:36 PM

Saw this guy in the tank today, he must have been in there a long time since I havent aded anything i quite a while.

itZme · 03/05/2007, 04:55 PM

Looks bad to me... gorilla crab or stone crab maybe?

Hairy legs and black claws are usually a sign of bad things to come.

HTH
-- Kevin

zeppelin · 03/05/2007, 04:59 PM

In the first pic, the claws look to have 'flat' not pointy ends. This is usually the sign of a plant eater, not a predator. I'd get him out anyways.

I hate crabs.......

TOURKID · 03/05/2007, 05:33 PM

yikes! hes ugly

Mantis · 03/05/2007, 06:29 PM

Zeppelin is correct, if he has flat ends on his claws, he eats algea and is helping to clean your tank.

Can't tell for sure from the pic, but I would leave him alone if this is the case.

crabfan · 03/05/2007, 08:47 PM

He doesn't look nasty to me.

If you haven't added anything in a long time, and nothing looks any worse the wear, I'd let him be for the time being. He will be easy enough to trap (shrimp in a glass trick) if you notice any issues.

I was confronted with a similar decision maybe a year ago (I was doing some rearranging and encountered a small crab under a rock with a very similar appearance), left him be to roam, and have noticed absolutely no ill effects.

mattheadington · 03/05/2007, 08:56 PM

The only thing I have go on was in within the last week one of my milliporas lost some tissue, but the way it is coming off I dont think its the crab. I sent the pics to wetwebmedia and see if they have any comment. Thanks for all the input

Wildeone · 03/05/2007, 09:27 PM

I found a similar crab this weekend. I was cleaning my skimmer pump, so I took the pump out and dropped it in a bucket of warm tapwater with some vinegar to run it. For some reason I took the pump back out (within like 20 seconds), turned it over and the crab was hiding on the bottom side. +

I put him back in the fuge, nothing there he can hurt. I am not sure if he made it through as he has not been seen since, but if he does he's a real trooper!

03/05/2007, 04:36 PM	#1
mattheadington Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Grove City, OH Posts: 318	Crab good or Bad? Im thinking no good! Saw this guy in the tank today, he must have been in there a long time since I havent aded anything i quite a while.

03/05/2007, 04:59 PM	#3
zeppelin www.corareef.org Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Pickerington, OH Posts: 3,595	In the first pic, the claws look to have 'flat' not pointy ends. This is usually the sign of a plant eater, not a predator. I'd get him out anyways. I hate crabs....... __________________ They call it the 'passing lane' and the 'fast lane' for a reason. If you're not doing either, GET OUT OF IT! '02 Trans Am WS6-497 RWHP PEACE.....from Zeppelin 300 gallon ******* Acrylic Peninsula tank

03/05/2007, 05:33 PM	#4
TOURKID Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vegas baby, Vegas Posts: 4,371	yikes! hes ugly __________________ RISK more than others think is safe CARE more than others think is wise DREAM more than others think is practical EXPECT more than others think is possible Current Tank Info: nada

03/05/2007, 06:29 PM	#5
Mantis Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 2,027	Zeppelin is correct, if he has flat ends on his claws, he eats algea and is helping to clean your tank. Can't tell for sure from the pic, but I would leave him alone if this is the case. __________________ "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice." Steve Jobs TOTM September 2011 http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/87-tank-of-the-month Current Tank Info: 400 gallon

03/05/2007, 08:47 PM	#6
crabfan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Eastern Kentucky Posts: 256	Crabs are kewl! He doesn't look nasty to me. If you haven't added anything in a long time, and nothing looks any worse the wear, I'd let him be for the time being. He will be easy enough to trap (shrimp in a glass trick) if you notice any issues. I was confronted with a similar decision maybe a year ago (I was doing some rearranging and encountered a small crab under a rock with a very similar appearance), left him be to roam, and have noticed absolutely no ill effects.

03/05/2007, 04:55 PM	#2
itZme Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: High Springs, FL Posts: 2,944	Looks bad to me... gorilla crab or stone crab maybe? Hairy legs and black claws are usually a sign of bad things to come. HTH -- Kevin

03/05/2007, 08:56 PM	#7
mattheadington Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Grove City, OH Posts: 318	The only thing I have go on was in within the last week one of my milliporas lost some tissue, but the way it is coming off I dont think its the crab. I sent the pics to wetwebmedia and see if they have any comment. Thanks for all the input

03/05/2007, 09:27 PM	#8
Wildeone Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Reynoldsburg, OH Posts: 303	I found a similar crab this weekend. I was cleaning my skimmer pump, so I took the pump out and dropped it in a bucket of warm tapwater with some vinegar to run it. For some reason I took the pump back out (within like 20 seconds), turned it over and the crab was hiding on the bottom side. + I put him back in the fuge, nothing there he can hurt. I am not sure if he made it through as he has not been seen since, but if he does he's a real trooper!