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That was my thought too. So, friendly, right?Looks like a Mithrax crab
Maybe. I’d keep an eye outThat was my thought too. So, friendly, right?
He has been eating algae off rocks so far.Looks like a red mithrax. 50/50 in my experience. Great algae eater if you get a cooperative one.
That is a gorilla crab. Bad crab, you don't want it...
This guy came in on my live rock from the Gulf as well. Looks similar to yours, but this one I believe is a male. Mine started out small, but grew very quickly. Small fish started going missing. I know he was eating snails as well because I was finding broken shells. I'd remove it and send it to the sump. That's where mine lives now.
That is a gorilla crab. Bad crab, you don't want it...
Your crab here is the Spineback Hairy Crab, Pilumnus sayi - not reef-safe.
This guy came in on my live rock from the Gulf as well. Looks similar to yours, but this one I believe is a male. Mine started out small, but grew very quickly. Small fish started going missing. I know he was eating snails as well because I was finding broken shells. I'd remove it and send it to the sump. That's where mine lives now.
Thank you, I hope you are correct because I returned him to the tank. There is another one in there identical to him, so fingers crossed. I have a rock in quarantine right now with what I am more certain is a bad crab, probably a gorilla crab. It is much fuzzier than the one I caught, and it has black-tipped claws. I'm trying to get him out, but I've had little luck so far. There is also a clicking noise coming from there. I know it could be a mantis or a pistol shrimp, but it seems like the noise is coming from the crab.Your crab here is the Spineback Hairy Crab, Pilumnus sayi - not reef-safe.
OP, your crab does look to me like a Mithracid crab, possibly the Nodose Clinging Crab, Mithraculus coryphe - regardless, it's probably as reef-safe as an Emerald Crab.
I agree with the consensus that its a red mithrax, the TBS rock I received had several similar and they stayed relatively small for a mithrax crab. Also got some red "emerald" crabs which grew huge!Thank you, I hope you are correct because I returned him to the tank. There is another one in there identical to him, so fingers crossed. I have a rock in quarantine right now with what I am more certain is a bad crab, probably a gorilla crab. It is much fuzzier than the one I caught, and it has black-tipped claws. I'm trying to get him out, but I've had little luck so far. There is also a clicking noise coming from there. I know it could be a mantis or a pistol shrimp, but it seems like the noise is coming from the crab.
Yeah, black-tipped claws are usually an indication you don't want them in your tank. As was mentioned above, the clicking is probably a pistol shrimp (though it could potentially be a mantis too).I have a rock in quarantine right now with what I am more certain is a bad crab, probably a gorilla crab. It is much fuzzier than the one I caught, and it has black-tipped claws. I'm trying to get him out, but I've had little luck so far. There is also a clicking noise coming from there. I know it could be a mantis or a pistol shrimp, but it seems like the noise is coming from the crab.
Thank you for the input and the welcome! I already pulled out one mantis shrimp that was in a different rock. I'm hoping it isn't another.Yeah, black-tipped claws are usually an indication you don't want them in your tank. As was mentioned above, the clicking is probably a pistol shrimp (though it could potentially be a mantis too).
Also, I'm a bit late by now, but welcome to Reef2Reef!
I am gonna say no, you don't want them in the back of your AIO. I understand that you feel bad about euthanasia. Not an easy decision. In my book, do your best to make it quick.Thank you for the input and the welcome! I already pulled out one mantis shrimp that was in a different rock. I'm hoping it isn't another.
I just caught the bigger crab I saw in the rock, and a little one came out too. These two look quite different than the one in my first post. These have the defined black claws, unlike the first one.
Now, I'm not sure what to do with them since I have a Red Sea Max Nano XL AIO and not a dedicated sump. I'd feel bad killing them, but can I drop them in the back of my AIO without risk of escaping into the main tank?
Yeah, those aren't ones you want in your tank. If for no other reason than it would probably be too small in the future, I probably wouldn't drop in the back of an AIO (setting escaping aside, I've heard of some crabs doing damage to electrical wires, so you don't want them somewhere they could reach important things).Now, I'm not sure what to do with them since I have a Red Sea Max Nano XL AIO and not a dedicated sump. I'd feel bad killing them, but can I drop them in the back of my AIO without risk of escaping into the main tank?