Hitchhiker problem?

[DrPeaches]

Last night as I took one last peek into my tank before bed, I caught a short glimpse of some rather long legs reaching out from under the live rock through a burrow in the sand. I didn't see anything other than a few legs, but they were much larger than any of the small hermits that roam on the live rock.

Being new to this reef business, I'm a bit paranoid about hitchhikers. My first thoughts tell me it's some kind of crab, but then my mind runs wild and I begin to wonder if it might be a mantis shrimp (although I doubt it) or something I really don't want.

I'd really like to find out what this thing is before I start adding fish. Should I just try to catch a glimpse of it, trap it, forget it, or what?

And no, I hadn't been sampling the Jagermeister beforehand.

[neuroslicer]

Were the legs jointed? Or long, thin and flexible as you'd see in a brittle star? Keep an eye out at night time with a flashlight. Some of the coolest surprises are found at night.

[Codeman00]

I totally agree...a lot of those hitchikers are out at night. After the lights go out, use a flashlight and see if you can ID it. There's no need of worrying about it until you find out what it is.

[DrPeaches]

It had jointed legs so it definitely was not a sea star. The legs looked like those of a hermit crab, giving me hope it's nothing nasty.

[just dave]

As long as your hitcher doesn't look like Rutger Hauer you're probably safe.

[DrPeaches]

As long as your hitcher doesn't look like Rutger Hauer you're probably safe.

Perhaps like some old girlfriends and some late-night prizes from Miller's Cave, but no Rutger Hauers.