Can you identify this guy?

[blackjacks_mom]

This guy came as a hitch hiker with the live rock. He was about a quarter of an inch in May, now he is well over an inch in diameter. He is the best hair algae eater and disturbs nothing else.

He also likes to pick up things and put them on his back. The big beige things on top are not eyes, his eyes are the little beedy things to the sides.

Can't seem to find him in a book or on the web and LFS thought I was imagining things. Anyone know what he is?

[Phatty42081]

i got one of then once as a decorater crab when i ordered from saltwaterfish.com. all the other decorater crabs i have seen look differtent though. but that what i think.

[kbmdale]

Blackjacks mom, it's a pretty neat looking crab, no idea what kind it is though As long as it's not harming anything though.......

Brianna

[HippieSmell]

I think he's a decorator crab as well. He's weally wittle right now, don't know if they're reef safe as they grow.

[AlliCat0225]

Decorator Crab!

[AlliCat0225]

^Use to have one in 180 Gallon.^

HeHe... Yours is cute!

[Travis L. Stevens]

Decorator Crabs are not reef safe in a since. If you dont mind your corals being moved around or sliced up. They generally cause no harm, but if you see a mushroom, a patch of zoanthids, etc slowly move across the substrate, you know he took em.

[blackjacks_mom]

Hmmmm, *decorator crab* must come from the decorations he wears on his head.

Thanks for the info everyone. He's definitely cute and fun to watch. He's sort of in his own little world munching away. I'd like to get a picture of him trying on his hats. He's already switched out a beige blob for an orange one.

[blackjacks_mom]

Originally posted by Travis L. Stevens
Decorator Crabs are not reef safe in a since. If you dont mind your corals being moved around or sliced up. They generally cause no harm, but if you see a mushroom, a patch of zoanthids, etc slowly move across the substrate, you know he took em.

So far, he's only interested in the hair algae that came from rocks on another tank. Maybe it will keep him busy for a while.

[CiXeL]

apparently they can wind up looking like walking flower pots by stealing various colored zoanthids

[Pete Starostecki]

I had a red one like that in my tank. He did end up picking at my corals (for decoration). I don't remember the details now, but it was enough to remove him from my tank and put him in with my snowflake eel. Nothing survives the eel tank!

[avshockey311]

http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4

says to monitor with corals

[blackjacks_mom]

Originally posted by avshockey311
http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4

says to monitor with corals

From saltwaterfish.com:

In order for Crabs to grow they need to shed their exoskeleton, a process called "molting", which allows them to remove their restricting shell and begin a new one. Often times in the home aquarium Crabs will leave this translucent shell in full view so it can serve as a distraction while the Crab finds a hiding place and allows its new shell to harden.

That's exactly what they do, the first time I saw him I thought I was seeing two of them.

So far he hasn't been destructive, and it sounds like they aren't destructive for the sake of being destructive, just a nip here or there to wear as camouflage. So for now he's got a safe place to live.

[blackjacks_mom]

ok, see if you know this one. He's very shy and hard to get pictures of. Especially his feathery orbed paws. The ends of his front claws are like a flat round feather, similar to the barnacle feathers. He moves them constantly and so fast you can't get a picture of them. He reminds me of EdwardScissorHands.

[A7ESF]

I think the second one is a Porcelain Crab.