Help Identifying a crab

[iaJim]

Found this on a rock I was taking out of the tank today. Anyone have any ID or information on this guy? Should he stay a resident of my tank? I've had some zooanthids disappearing, and wondered if he was the culprit. About 1/4" x 3/8". Also posted this on the general reef discussion.

Thanks.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/iaJim/crab.jpg

[iaJim]

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d179/iaJim/crabpincers.jpg

Another view.

[Mercutio]

I'd keep him in the sump even if he's not reef safe, he's a neat looking bugger.

[Pet World Bill]

I cant see very well from the picture, but it looks to me like a carnivorous species. You need to look closely at the tips of the claws for a good generalized estimation of that. If the tips of the claws come to sharp points then the safest bet is to pull him. If the claws are blunt like an emerald crab then it is up to you. I would still pull it and put it in your sump bucause even if it is a relative of the emerald, they can still devour polyps occasionally. Since you have already noticed polyp loss, the decision would be easy if it were me.

[AudiSteve]

I'm 90% sure it's a Xanthid crab, if it has serrated claws pull it, they are NOT reef safe. I delt with a few of them in my old tank, they eat everything and anything, even Palythoa!

[iaJim]

He's gone, and some of the mysterious maladies of the tank are gone too. I guess he must have been the culprit.