Coral eating crab

rjjr1963 · 11/27/2016, 10:14 PM

Is there a type of crab that will eat SPS coral. I found one on one of my corals I could swear I seen him munching away on polyps. I didn't get a picture but it was a sort of flat crab like a emerald crab but the legs looked thicker and it had smaller claws. Looked hairy like a spider. I tried to catch it but it got away. Lights were near the end of the cycle. Still very bright.

Chrisq0904 · 11/27/2016, 10:17 PM

I believe gorilla crabs do, but I believe they look more like emerald crabs.

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w3bbo · 11/28/2016, 03:15 AM

Teddy bear crabs also. I had a couple that were especially fond of millepora.

2una · 11/28/2016, 03:59 AM

I got one about the same size/type as this one & yep i've caught him eating polyps....hes been served eviction notice.....I think this one is "supposed to be a "good" one re the flat spoon type pinchers but there ain't no algae up the top end of my stag where i caught him chowing one night.

This ain't my pic i came across it trying to ID it - I THINK its a black Emerald

rjjr1963 · 11/28/2016, 12:27 PM

I'm pretty sure it's an acropora crab. Little bastard was munching on coral this morning.

75mixedreef · 11/28/2016, 01:48 PM

Acro crabs are good and help acros. That in the picture is not an acro crab. The rule of thumb is that if it is hairy then it is bad and will eat your corals. It may not be true all the time and some crabs that are not hairy can be bad too, but as soon as I see a fuzzy crab I go into crab hunting mode.

rjjr1963 · 11/28/2016, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 75mixedreef

Acro crabs are good and help acros. That in the picture is not an acro crab. The rule of thumb is that if it is hairy then it is bad and will eat your corals. It may not be true all the time and some crabs that are not hairy can be bad too, but as soon as I see a fuzzy crab I go into crab hunting mode.

That is not a picture of the crab in my tank. The one in my tank is very hairy with blue eyes. I caught him again this morning munching on coral.

organism · 11/28/2016, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjjr1963

That is not a picture of the crab in my tank. The one in my tank is very hairy with blue eyes. I caught him again this morning munching on coral.

The hairy ones with blue eyes are the most common Acro eaters imo. I lost 4 colonies that were adjacent to each other one time, as the last colony was dying I took it apart and found a 1/4" one of those crabs... Expensive little bastard.

Acro-safe crabs are totally smooth with no hairs, usually with that bandit stripe across the eyes.

2una · 11/29/2016, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rjjr1963

That is not a picture of the crab in my tank. The one in my tank is very hairy with blue eyes. I caught him again this morning munching on coral.

This look more like it?

11/27/2016, 10:14 PM	#1
rjjr1963 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Nebraska/Missouri Posts: 770	Coral eating crab Is there a type of crab that will eat SPS coral. I found one on one of my corals I could swear I seen him munching away on polyps. I didn't get a picture but it was a sort of flat crab like a emerald crab but the legs looked thicker and it had smaller claws. Looked hairy like a spider. I tried to catch it but it got away. Lights were near the end of the cycle. Still very bright. __________________ 72x24x16 115 gallon under construction Current Tank Info: 40 gallon reef Last edited by rjjr1963; 11/27/2016 at 10:23 PM.

11/28/2016, 03:15 AM	#3
w3bbo Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Peak District, UK Posts: 109	Teddy bear crabs also. I had a couple that were especially fond of millepora. __________________ Rich

11/28/2016, 03:59 AM	#4
2una Registered Member Join Date: May 2015 Location: South Africa Posts: 170	I got one about the same size/type as this one & yep i've caught him eating polyps....hes been served eviction notice.....I think this one is "supposed to be a "good" one re the flat spoon type pinchers but there ain't no algae up the top end of my stag where i caught him chowing one night. This ain't my pic i came across it trying to ID it - I THINK its a black Emerald Last edited by 2una; 11/28/2016 at 04:09 AM.

11/28/2016, 12:27 PM	#5
rjjr1963 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Nebraska/Missouri Posts: 770	I'm pretty sure it's an acropora crab. Little bastard was munching on coral this morning. __________________ 72x24x16 115 gallon under construction Current Tank Info: 40 gallon reef

11/27/2016, 10:17 PM	#2
Chrisq0904 Moved On Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Plantation, FL Posts: 1,209	I believe gorilla crabs do, but I believe they look more like emerald crabs. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

11/28/2016, 01:48 PM	#6
75mixedreef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 255	Acro crabs are good and help acros. That in the picture is not an acro crab. The rule of thumb is that if it is hairy then it is bad and will eat your corals. It may not be true all the time and some crabs that are not hairy can be bad too, but as soon as I see a fuzzy crab I go into crab hunting mode.