Hmmm I Found A Crab

[BOD]

Okay so last night was looking in my tank still has no fish and only 3 turbo snails, but anyways, i noticed a small black shell that looked open, but when i went back this morning the shell had disapeard to revel a hole in my live rock, so i turned that light on to have a look and see a pairs of eyes staring out from what i can see the crab looks whiteish in color and smooth, what is it? good or bad?

I have no idea how he is still alive whats her eating i dont put food in the tank and its been there for about 2 months now!

 

[N1z]

chances are it could be a hermit or some crab that doesnt have a shell or worst is a mantis shrimp as if it sits in a hole i would worry. personally id get the rock out and poke it with summit see wot happens but i would say mantis but if its white it may not be..

 

[BOD]

its definaly white and crab crabed shaped i shall have a poke 2moro and see what happens, i hear no clicking or noises comming from it! it hasnt attacked the snails either!

 

[N1z]

HMM anenonme crab? but sure tbh best see wot others say..

 

[SkiFletch]

Could be one of the many symbiotic species of coral crab too... Tough to say without a picture

 

[BOD]

and so the story goes on....the next day i look in the hole and see the crab moving around.

The next day i come dowstairs to see a crab body shell has been pushed out the hole and its lying there lifeless so i pick it up and remove it (will try and post a pic)

And now today i look again in the hole and the shell is back, and cant see the crab.

So whats going on

1) The crab has been killed by this shell and kicked out the hole
2) the crab has shed its shell and kicked it out the hole, and lives with the shell as a friend lol!

 

[BOD]

Okay the crab so still alive i saw it, and got a good look at it, its not white at all itys kinda reddish/browish in color and quite a smooth looking shell ie not spikey bits from what i can see, and the shell or whatever u want to call it is still there it come out during the say to the edge of the hole, whats the correct naming for it, a clam/mussle of some sort?