Hitchhiker Crab ID Help!!

[Germanman]

from your clearer picture i think it is an emerald mithrax crab (mithrax sculptus). i sell them at my work as good hair and bubble algae eaters, and i have one in my reef tank. they only get 2-2.5 in and from A pocket guide to Marine Invertebrates."A relatively safe herbivore, but there have been occasional reports of it attacking sessile(stationary) animals." but because your pics are so unclear i would seek id from a petstore or experenced friend in your town.

 

[Pineapple]

Anything with black claws is a gorilla, or is it all Xanthidae?

I forgot the other species of crab. I wanted to see if you could see the difference between the two. Here is the definition of carapace, sorry if you already knew. Crabs are my favorite to ID. Thanks for the mind tease. See you on other posts.

http://www.jamarc.go.jp/zukan/c/c-1/c-m035/c-157.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carapace

 

[Owens187]

i dont think it is a emerald, as all the emeralds ive seen are green(hence the name), and have smooth claws. this guy is silver/gray with hair all over.

 

[Pineapple]

If it is in the family Xanthidae don’t feed it to your fish. This family has poison much like a puffer. It may be bad for the fish’s health if consumed. I look at so many, and I should’ve not posted that. You forget things when you learn about a lot more subjects.

Look at the carapace of this family, Xanthidae. This site may help you ID.
http://www.poppe-images.com/images/search_results.php?category=Crabs&family=XANTHIDAE&byfam=ok

I really have to go. I’m taking over this thread. Good luck on trying to find your species. If you can get a better picture, I’ll take over again.

 

[Owens187]

well i have bought a small heater, and now have it in the two gallon tank.....im thinking maybe a marine betta to go with it?? i just could not bring myself to kill it(almost positive it is a gorilla) ill post pics of it in new setup soon! from our link itlooks like Eriphia verrucosa....thats the closest yet!!

 

[mysis]

Well, i definately would not trust ANY true crab in a reef tank, they will eventually destroy something, even emeralds (my friend had a sea apple and it nipped the feeder tentacles), luckly we were there to watch it and he pulled it out straight away.

 

[Pineapple]

That may be a Pilumnus, Family Pilumnidae. They stay relatively small. The hairy crab that was in someone’s reef tank is a Pilumnus vespertilio, size 1.6 inches, and a mud crab.

I would not put a crab in a reef. Some people have success. It’s like my coral beauties. People will say reef safe, while others say they’re terrors.


This is what Pilumnus look like.
http://www.marlin.ac.uk/baski/image_viewer.asp?images=Pilhir&topic=Species