Red crab hitch hiker - Extra surprise

B

Bustedup211

[I have found 2 or maybe 3 little pinkish red crabs running around in a piece of acro that was a raffle prize. The little guys are quick to hide but as soon as I get a chance I am going to take a pic and post it. My question is is there a chance that these rascals are bad? Could they be there to eat the polyp of the coral? Let me know your opinion.

thanks

Steve]
 
[one of my acros from the raffle has one of the little white acro crabs with the black mustache, did not see anything like you are describing.]
 
[Both acro crabs are common and they will do no harm to your corals. They are actually beneficial, they are essenatially the houskeepers of the colony. If you get a colony that has the mean looking acro crab w/ hairy legs, remove it. They are a taste for acros. Personally the acro w/ the black mask resembles "Hamburgler" from Mcdonalds to me.]
 
[I have heard those crabs with the black line referred to as "bandits", but they are broadly referred to as commensal crabs. The coral protects the crab, and the crab keeps the coral clean of any algae. It is a great thing to get a coral with crabs in it, and that is what I prefer to buy.

I looked those corals over pretty closely, and didn't even see those!]
 
[Yeah, I picked up a crab in my raffle prize acro, too. I was surprised because the acro is small - between walnut and golfball size. It looks like one of the bad ones with blue eyes and hairy legs. I didn't see it until it moved next door to a larger brown colony. It and my raffle acro have white bodies so it blended in there. I've got several commensal crabs and I had one of these guys before, too. He was easy to catch since I could just pick up the coral and pluck him out.

I think that's one of the most interesting things about imported corals - the hitchhikers. My new acro also appears to have a small bivalve living in it. It would be neat if it was a baby tridacna but then I'd have to feed it to keep it alive. I'll take some pictures and post them if I can get a decent shot.]
 
[Heres a pic of the hitcher i got from my Raffle acro.
After i post this i am going to get him out until i hear otherwise. You guys know what i just went thru with the xanthid. This one looks like a teddy beear to me.]
 
[Where are you going to put "ol' blue eyes"? He's be happy in a refugium I bet.

Great shot of that bandit!]
 
[There was a bandit on one of my raffle acros, but I found it dead on the bottom of the bag when I got home. :sniffle: I wonder if the coral released more slime than the little guy could handle?]
 
[It could have been an oxygen thing too. That has happened to me as well.]
 
["ol blue eyes" definately looks xanthidish to me. his pinchers have black tips on them. He is very small less than 1/4 inch.
Actually quite nice looking crab, i just have no place for him atm so he is in a container in the kitchen.]
 
[Yeah, that's the same kind of crab I got this time. He looks cute but I could see him sitting there munching on my acros. I don't have a refugium so he's up for grabs when I catch him. Nice pictures chevytrks, I wish I had a good macro on my camera.]
 
[Thanks for the picture remarks, i am still learning this camera
panasonic lumix dmc-fz20.
I need to get a tri-pod. i know the pics will be even better then.

Kevin
Chris,
i pulled the acro out of the water, and he moved out to the edge of the coral trying to find water, then i knocked him off with tweasers into a bowl of tank water. took about 90 seconds.]
 
[Its twins. I thought I was crazy then I saw the second because I was wondering how he could be that fast. It is two of the reddish Pink guys. Could not be happier because one shed it shell today and already is moving around. Yeah.

steve
:) :) :)]
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top