Crab ID Please

Can anyone help with IDing this crab?? I have had it IDed as a Strawberry Crab but even other Strawberry Crab that I have seen do not have the white underbelly. Any ideas??

http://www.hostedimage.com/usr/335/Picture_047.jpg

http://www.hostedimage.com/usr/335/5377Picture_014.jpg

[MikeS]

Good photo Travis...

The difficult thing about making a positive ID on hitchhiker crabs is the fact that so many different species are nearly identical physically...even the "experts" in crab taxonomy make errors in ID frequently. I'd recommend removing him from the tank just to be safe...

Mike

Thanks Mike, I was afraid someone was going to say that...lol. He's so cool. He is getting pretty big so maybe the refuge would be a safer home for him.

[gman0526]

It seems like some kind of stone\gorilla crab.

[MikeS]

yeah, the fuge would make a good home for him

[Sugar Magnolia]

IIRC, Dr. Shimek has mentioned that crabs with the pointy black pinchers are predatory. You're lucky yours has made itself visible. I have one I have yet to see, but know it's in the tank because I've seen molts. Mine enjoys snacking on my snails. :evil:

[Doctor_Reef]

Mike is right on crab ID... Very difficult but you do have a crab that is predatory... Remove him or he will remove other inverts, and small fish....

By the way very good pics!!!!

[MikeS]

IIRC, Dr. Shimek has mentioned that crabs with the pointy black pinchers are predatory.

I have read this as well, but to be honest, I don't put much faith in his assement...virtually all crabs are omnivores and oppritunistic feeders. (the one noteable exception to this being porcelin crabs, which are in essence filter feeders...the only guranteed "reef safe" crab... :-D ). And as oppritunistic feeders, the poential for problems always exisits, black pointy pinchers or not...

I used to live by the motto "innocent until proven guilty" when it came to hitchiker crabs in my tank, but that turned into a "better safe than sorry" attitude...I remove any crab I see. The only ones I still have in my tank (that I know of) are a few scarlet reef hermits. They have been problem free so far, but I only have a few of them, and there are plenty of scraps of food and bits of algae for them to munch on, keeping them (hopefully) away from my corals.

Mike

[Doctor_Reef]

:thumbsup: Mike....you said it!!!!!! As you said except porcelin crabs, it has been my experience that all crabs including emeralds are hungry and will eat what they can catch!!!!

I'll have to catch him this weekend... along with this guy :shock:

http://www.hostedimage.com/usr/335/Picture_045.jpg

I have thus far left them alone...