Crab ID - Gorilla Crab?

[thefishgirl]

I found this adorable little creature in my 300g today. I just want to give him a hug... (from a Mantis Shrimp, I think!).





Please confirm ID.
Thanks!

[MyNemesis]

You want to keep a lookout for Gorilla Crabs (xanthid species) and Stone Crabs. These pesky buggers are predators that can cause damage to your reef, eating anemones, clams, and anything else they can get their claws around. They might look cute when they're small, but it's just not worth putting them into the tank. If you really want to keep them, you could put them into your sump/fuge (if you have one).

The sure-fire way to spot one of these is to look for the black tips on their claws. As Gorilla crabs get larger, they become quite "hairy" all over. You can smash these guys pretty easily using a chopstick. Take a look at the catalog of organisms for pictures of other "good crabs" that may hitchhike on your rock. (From Tampa Bay Saltwater - sells rock)
http://tbsaltwater.com/thepackage/im...orillacrab.jpg

[MizTanks]

Looks like it to me TFG! Big bugger too! Unless its just the pic?? What do your corals look like? Notice any damage?

[thefishgirl]

Thanks for confirming for me guys!!!

He is BIG! He's probably about 3.5 inches wide. He's been skulking around my 300g for quite a while. I saw him one day about 3 weeks ago.. and then couldn't find him. I thought maybe I had imagined seeing a hairy black claw...until today. I nabbed him with my steel tweezers during feeding time.

I've lost so many various corals, but with all the travel, it was hard to tell if it was tank params or something munching on the corals. I'm working on setting up my 75g display right now, and working on the 300g params with water changes, general cleaning and maintenance. The 300g is going to be unloaded and all rock dipped, and anything that doesn't resemble a fish, a snail or hermit crab is going to find a new home...or grave.

[MizTanks]

I'm glad you got him! I had one come in on a frag of zoo's once. Being a newb at the time I thought I scored!! LOL NOT!! Caught him a week later. No where near as big as yours.

[thefishgirl]

Originally Posted by MizTanks

I'm glad you got him! I had one come in on a frag of zoo's once. Being a newb at the time I thought I scored!! LOL NOT!! Caught him a week later. No where near as big as yours.

I'm sure this came in one of my zoa colonies that I used to have. Even though I dipped all the corals... I think if they are buried deep enough, they manage to survive.

Ohh..and my b/f wants to keep him and not feed him to a Mantis Shrimp. So.... I am putting together a little 5g nano so he can cart him home. He's currently in a really tall flower vase in my tank.

[carlitofish]

that is not a gorilla crab, its a king kong crab, fyi.