CryptoNautical
Active Member
If you didn't add it yourself, I would pull that sucker, and get a better picture closer to the phone for a more accurate ID. I don't trust crabs, especially ones I know I didn't add
Hopefully @ISpeakForTheSeas can come in on this. But the previous poster is correct. Better pics will be needed, and some crabs are not good at all. If you have the ability to trap it, I would do so until you know for sure.
adamg77
Active Member
Thank yall for your comments!
I hope @ISpeakForTheSeas does too He is epic! It looks like it’s carapace is similar to a blue crab with a point on the lateral sides
I hope @ISpeakForTheSeas does too He is epic! It looks like it’s carapace is similar to a blue crab with a point on the lateral sides
Agreed that we need some more pics here - moderately bright, white light pics of the full top/back (the dorsal side) of the crab as well as of the face/claws (the front) of the crab would be helpful.
adamg77
Active Member
@ISpeakForTheSeas got a better pic. Thank you for any help. He has grown tremendously in such a short time and has now come to the front of the glass during feeding. He loves to snap at my fish and I’m sure would love to eat one. What a cool crab!
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BristleWormHater
Valuable Member
BAD BAD BAD. Checks all the boxes for a NOT reef safe crab (reef dangerous I guess lol).@ISpeakForTheSeas got a better pic. Thank you for any help. He has grown tremendously in such a short time and has now come to the front of the glass during feeding. He loves to snap at my fish and I’m sure would love to eat one. What a cool crab!
Swimmers(see hind legs) typically used to hunt by crabs who prey on small fish.
Poined claws means it's predatory for sure. Those claws are used for tearing flesh and scales.
Get that knucklehead out of there!
I'll work on ID I'm sure ISpeakForTheSeas is already on that though.
adamg77
Active Member
@BristleWormHater thank you for your quick reply! What a cool little crab. It appears that he is a carnivore?
Definitely a swimming crab (I'm not very familiar with the superfamily at this point; these crabs don't typically show up in our tanks); the Blotched Swimming Crab, Achelous spinimanus is a good guess.
Yeah, no info on this crab's specific diet, but swimming crabs are generalist carnivores/omnivorous scavengers; they primarily feed on fish, bivalves, snails, and shrimp, but they have also been known to eat some algae, brittle starfish, hermit crabs, etc.
Definitely not a reef-safe species, but also a pretty neat hitchhiker to have.
adamg77
Active Member
@ISpeakForTheSeas as always thank you for your response it is appreciated! I really like him and hope he does well in a different tank
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