Eeeeewwwwww! What Is It?!

[Jessica13]

I found this in my tank and its horrible and it keeps looking at me funny!!

What is it? (an evil crab?? )
Why is it there?
How do i get rid of it?

 

[Tiggs]

Why is it there?

Its prob looking at you thinking the same!

You are the one that bought its home from the ocean and put him in your tank! Go easy on him!

 

[Jessica13]

Why is it there?

Its prob looking at you thinking the same!

You are the one that bought its home from the ocean and put him in your tank! Go easy on him!

No, i bought its home from a SHOP! Its evil and horrible and disgusting and it keeps pointing its nasty looking feet at me

So... How do i get rid of him?!!! lol

 

[Tiggs]

"No, i bought its home from a SHOP!"

ahhh...have you explained this to him

If you can get the rock out put it over the sink and drop some RO water on him, he'll soon shift then kill/catch him - i did this with a mantis and it worked fine (if you can get the rock out)
T

ps- i am answering your question NOT suggesting what you should do!

 

[Jessica13]

Thank you!

I dont know how he could have survived, assuming he came in the rock though as it was out of water for at least a couple of hours.. Surely they cant live out of water.. can they?! I hope im not going to find him crawling around the floor!!!

What is he by the way?! Anything worth keeping in the tank or should i get rid of him?

 

[maestro]

Its a little hard to tell from the picture but is it green?

I think it may be a mithrax crab also known as emerald green crab, there usually harmless and actually eat types of algae that others dont touch, lots of people buy them so ive youve got a freebie then lucky you.

If you dont want it then please dont kill it, a lfs or another aquarist would take it of your hands, I dont really know how you would catch it and ive never tried but im sure others will know

 

[Lynden]

I could never bring myself to kill a creature on live rock, be it whelk, mantis, or medusa worm. If you are truley afraid of this animal, use Tiggs's suggestion to remove it, and then give it to someone who might want it.

Mithrax crabs are very effective cleanup critters, they may eat LPS however. Although this is a very rare occurence, so watch him for a while and see.

 

[steelhealr]

I agree...it looks like an emerald crab, or mithrax crab. I have two in my tank. They are excellent cleanup crew guys and have gotten rid of most of my bubble algae. They can pick at corals later on and even, if big enough, go for a fish. However, I'd leave that baby in there. I would call it a good hitchhiker. SH

 

[Michael Roth]

I'm guessing emerald, from its rounded pincers. And the 'hair.'

good score, no green bubble algae for you!

 

[Jessica13]

Thanks for the info!

Im not going to kill it.. I dont think i could do that I'll just have to be very careful when i put my hand in the tank as i dont think he likes me

It is light green.. and i have no bubble algae at all so maybe he has been eating it!!

 

[Navarre]

Glad to see it wont be got rid of.
Good cleanup crew member.

 

[Riley]

I had a emerald crab and he was a great member of my clean up crew. im tinking of getting some more

-Riley

 

[bunjiweb]

Yeh don't get rid of it, but do keep an eye on it. And theres nothing "EWWWW" about crabs, they look pretty cool, albeit not as cool as shrimpsand lobbies!

Ben

 

[Jessica13]

I dont like crabs, they're creepy! I didn't really like the shrimp i bought but at least i knew he was there!! This thing just appeared out of a hole

I've been meaning to move the rock in my tank around for the last couple of days cos i bought some more but im scared to put my hand in the tank incase it bites me

 

[Navarre]

Im afraid the world of marine has many more nasty looking creepy crawlies than crabs.

Just wait till you see your first bristle worm

And yes i can gaurentee you have em in the tank if you have liverock. )