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Ok, probably about two months ago I spotted an unidentified crab hanging out in the weir of my reef tank. It was in there for a day or so and then disappeared. I didn't see it again. Yesterday, I was looking in my sump and saw a crab feeding right at the back. OK, fine I thought, the crab I'd seen had gone down the overflow and was living in the sump. Anyhow, this morning, our chocolate labrador was going spastic at something on the lounge floor, barking her head off and stalking it. The mrs thought there was a spider. When she went to investigate, it was a crab hot footing it across the lounge. It was about 25feet from the sump. I'm now a bit cautious about plonking it back in the sump as it went walkabouts. Any ideas what type of crab it is? Put it back in the sump, or the main tank? Not really into killing things.

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From above and some closer shots

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Sorry Rick no idea but awesome pics.....nom them as monster pics of the month any way.........

Is it a purple clawed climber crab !

Metopograpsus.

its beautiful. very cute.
What did you do with it in the end? Lucky the dog didnt get it too!!

Sump it Rick while you can as it might be just a juvenile and grow into a real pain.I have a Gorilla crab in my vision 260 reef and have tried to catch for ages now as it regularly chews up my brittle star......dam creature...

This has got to be the most unusual, perplexing, and scary post of the year!


I'll second Ratty's nom as the monster pic of the month!


So . . . .. what are you going to do? Leave it in the sump?




All best, and sticking with freshwater,
Joe

thats the best thing about marine....the unexpected. its not often i find critters in my tropical tanks that i dont know about...just snails...or even that weird larva thing i found in my filter

Thanks all.

I'll look into that one Naomi

My main problem Mike is the fact it went walk abouts from the sump, luckily one of the dogs spotted it this time, so we found it. Having said that, maybe it went walkabouts on a regular basis and always went back

At the moment I have it in a cup, maybe i need to make some covers for the sump, with all the pipework, it is quite difficult to make a decent fitting cover though. I guess I should just stick it back in and if it dissapears, so be it.


I should point out that the pics probably make it look bigger and more scary than it really is. It is probably slightly larger than a uk 50 pence piece, maybe an 1.5" to 2" across.

Anything new to report about your new crab, Rick?

Did you put him back into the sump, etc.?



This is a really intriguing thread! . . . In my own experience, the only new and unexpected arrival of aquatic fauna were the snails that "hitchhiked" in on some live plants that I purchased!


The most important point here though is: WHERE did the crab come from? Was it so tiny and small that it came in from something you added to your Marine tank?

Very curious . . . .


BTW, your photos of it are excellent!


All best, and wishing you a Happy New Year,
Joe

I've still got it in a cup at the moment Joe. I'm a bit dubious about sumping it again in case it goes walkabouts again, I'll try making some covers for the sump in the next week or so, and then decide what to do with it.


As far as hitchhikers go, it is a common thing in marine aquaria. Live rock, by its very nature is "alive", and that includes unwanted critters as well as bonus ones or desirable ones. It will have come in either well hidden in hole, or been very small hidden away. It has certainly grown since I last saw it.

now thats a scary thought

*bump*



Any fresh news about this creature, Rick?





All best, Joe

It passed away I'm afraid so the dilemma was averted