Blue eyed crab in acros

[Dave_P]

I know have about 3 blue eyed crabs residing in acro colonies. Their body size is 1-2cm and hairy with bright blue eyes.

Should I get rid of these? Are they feeding off the acro, or just using it for protection?

Dave

[gary smith]

i have read about these on the Singapore reef site without exception all the boy`s out there get rid of them as they eat sps and attack true acro crabs sorry to be the bearer of bad news :( cheers gary

[ickypimp]

Kill Kill Kill

[AntsReef]

C,mon Dave you know what you have to do:eek:

rgds,
Anthony

[SCOOB]

would they not survive in your sump?

are your acros damaged at all. there are so many thousands of species of crab out there it's a bit tough to make a judgment call without pics and a proper id'ing. poor little sods didn't ask to be there. :D

[ollski]

If it's one of these it will strip and kill your acros:

http://www.ultimatereef.net/uploader/2006Q1/sumped2.jpg

[Gav Cornwall]

Hmmm...

I find it strange that so many people are quick to kill.

How long have they been on the acro's and are they doing any noticeable damage, if not i would leave them and observe.

However blue eye'd and hairy does sound like trouble.

Is it possible to buy black faced bandit crabs btw ?

[AntsReef]

Hmmm...

I find it strange that so many people are quick to kill.



Do you feel the same about flatworms and aiptasia ?:p

The crabs don't need to be killed,they could be sumped :)

rgds,
anthony

[SPS Hoover]

I always kill those crabs i have seen first hand the damage they can do

[Dave_P]

One came with a large acro colony from UR member. I can see no damage to the colony, nor can see the crab feeding.

The other two came with a small colony purchased yesterday. Again I cannot see any damage to the colony. This what made me think, I cannot see how a small colony with no apparent damage would support two crabs feeding of it.

I think to be safe I will sump them, I like to be sure before I kill anything. In this case I am not too sure.

(It took me 2 weeks to condemn the zoo eating nudis to death)

Dave

[AntsReef]

Hi Dave,
it's better to be safe than sorry and remove these BEFORE they do damge rather than after ;)
Anthony

[ricordea]

Do you have a photo? Also the previous owner that you mention (UR member where you got the large colony from) should be able to tell you if they are good or bad, (I would be surprised if someone who had expereince to grow a large acro did not know which crabs were good or not?

[Dave_P]

Here is an example, since posting I have actually spotted another one.

http://www.suttonreef.co.uk/image_bucket/img_2139.gif

Dave

[steve@ cambridge coral tech]

i had one of those in one of my colony's, it never had great polyp extension, and kept having random bald patches appering on it, i saw the crab one eve pulling of small amounts of tissue, i removed it and the colony has since gone mad!!! mega ployp extension and all the patches have regrown, and it now has nice blue growth tips, so i'd say remove them to be sure, all my other acro's have the masked type or little red ones and they're fine:)

[ANDREW 30]

I did the horrid deed to a crab just like that a couple of days ago. Not nice but had to be done!

[aladdin]

Don't think much of the crabs BUT its a very nice acro!:)

[AntsReef]

Hi Dave,
I too got a coral from the same place yesterday. It had a similar crab in it. I took it out and sumped it. As I said earlier,I do like to see these in the coral but am simply not prepared to take the risk,
rgds,
Anthony

[ollski]

Posted a bit earlier, they will strip acros especially miilepora. I gave 2 or 3 the benefit of the doubt for a couple of months and watched them strip my acros before I sumped them.

[Dave_P]

Ok, thanks for your replies.

I have now sumped 3 of the them. The final one is being a bit hard to catch. I am sure I will get him in the end.

Dave