Crab Identification please

[mikehulen]

Found this little guy when he shoved his old shell out from under a rock tonight. Anyone know what it is?





He is a dark purple in color with white spots, and a smooth exo-skeleton.

[docklink]

I've not any idea but it's truely interesting looking. What are the claws like (sharp, blunted, scooped, etc.) ?

[mikehulen]

Originally posted by docklink
I've not any idea but it's truely interesting looking. What are the claws like (sharp, blunted, scooped, etc.) ?

Honestly, I do not know. I have never seen the little dude from the front and he is quick to dart under my base rocks if I try to nab it for a picture.

THe 2 pics I posted are the best I could manage so far.

[phil519]

wow! - a purple crab that isn't a porcelain one. Interesting guy you have there.

Unfortunately most crabs are not reef safe - unless we're talking about a symbiotic acro crab or poreclain crab. Even the mithrax crabs sold as "green emeralds" get mixed reviews.

Yours appears to be a kind of xanthid crab (given the oval nature of the body) - but I am *hardly* the expert on crabs.

Here's a long but detailed article on crabs .

Although the article basically tells us to ditch all xanthids - if it's small enough and you're willing to deal with it - i think a purple crab might be a neat addition to your tank. Of course when it grows up and eats your prized fish - please don't yell at me!

[mikehulen]

Originally posted by phil519
wow! - a purple crab that isn't a porcelain one. Interesting guy you have there.

Unfortunately most crabs are not reef safe - unless we're talking about a symbiotic acro crab or poreclain crab. Even the mithrax crabs sold as "green emeralds" get mixed reviews.

Yours appears to be a kind of xanthid crab (given the oval nature of the body) - but I am *hardly* the expert on crabs.

Here's a long but detailed article on crabs .

Although the article basically tells us to ditch all xanthids - if it's small enough and you're willing to deal with it - i think a purple crab might be a neat addition to your tank. Of course when it grows up and eats your prized fish - please don't yell at me!

Thanks for the link! Fromt hat I think I have some kind of calappid (maybe); I have found a few pictures online that look similar, but not exact, to this guy.

Either way, right now he looks to interesting to be sentenced to the refugium with Stanley (mantis).

[mikehulen]

Here are a couple more pictures of this crab from the front. He tends to stay under the rocks and moves like lightning when in the open.



Zoomed in on same picture:

[mikehulen]

Bumping this back up. I got some better pictures of this crab now that he has molted 3 times and more than doubled in size.





Any ideas? He's becoming a slight nuisance now; he's dug a pretty extensive burrow under the rocks. However is one of the more interesting critters in my tank now...all 4 of my gulf shrimp have vanished without a trace.

[docklink]

...all 4 of my gulf shrimp have vanished without a trace.

By the look of it, he may be the reason

No idea on the ID, though. Sorry. You might post the picts to Dr. Ron's forum or the Wet Web site.

[Fountainhead]

Originally posted by docklink
By the look of it, he may be the reason

Man, I have to agree. I have no idea what kind of crab that is, but he sure doesn't look very friendly. Those pincers look serious. How quick is he? Can you catch him? I'd get him out if possible. He looks like seriously bad news.

[dwculp]

I dont like the looks of him, big, muscular with black pointy claws.

Get him out.

[dwculp]

You might want to post the pics on the "Ask Dr. Ron" forum. Explain where you got the crab from etc....

[mikehulen]

Determined that he is a stone crab, so now he is doing time in the fuge with Stanley Mantis (N. Wennerae)