Crabs - Good or Bad

[kssquared]

Just noticed 2 crabs in my tank !! The first one around the size of a 20c coin is purple/red in colour, and the smaller one, size of a 10c coin is browny speckled. Are these good or bad ??

 

[Mekaeel]

dude.i just dont trust crabs.if i were you,remove it

 

[Mike]

Really need piccies mate, there are many species of crab, loads good, loads more bad.

 

[Mike]

dude.i just dont trust crabs.if i were you,remove it

Miki, lets give the crabs the benefit of the doubt before you advise death by balcony

 

[Mekaeel]

Miki, lets give the crabs the benefit of the doubt before you advise death by balcony

awrite cool

 

[Matt]

Today I found a mantis shrimp in my tank! Would've rather found 10 bad crabs, was a bit timid in removing him. Needless to say he is sitting at my LFS now

 

[Mike]

Today I found a mantis shrimp in my tank! Would've rather found 10 bad crabs, was a bit timid in removing him. Needless to say he is sitting at my LFS now

did you take a piccie of it, they are quite a stunning little critter

 

[kssquared]

Pictures are easier said than done !! just saw the brown one now, but pics are terrrible, obviously need to go on a photography course !! Finding the crabs is hard enough !!!

 

[Mike]

Pictures are easier said than done !! just saw the brown one now, but pics are terrrible, obviously need to go on a photography course !! Finding the crabs is hard enough !!!

can you catch them, then take a picture?

 

[kssquared]

They are like lightning, there one second then gone. Also because they are so small they can hide in a multitude of places. What is it that crabs do that is bad ?

 

[Mike]

OK, crabs can take small fish or snails etc, have a look at the crab, does it have long pointy claws or short blunt ones? are they hairy? redeyed?, google commensural crabs, or look at the link.

Marine Crabs

 

[kssquared]

Thanks will try to see if i can pick out some identifying looks on them

 

[Mekaeel]

and should it look like a preditor,while its small, grab him out.i left mines in my tank and he ended up being a monster eating my fish

 

[Matt]

did you take a piccie of it, they are quite a stunning little critter

Didn't take a photo: was one of the plain, brown coloured ones. About 3 cm long. I did hear some clicking!

 

[Mike]

Didn't take a photo: was one of the plain, brown coloured ones. About 3 cm long. I did hear some clicking!

Cool, personally i find it all good - even the "bad" ones - it's all just so fascinating

 

[Mekaeel]

Didn't take a photo: was one of the plain, brown coloured ones. About 3 cm long. I did hear some clicking!

did it have those long sharp claws?

 

[kssquared]

I have somethings that clicks in my tank, but I don't know what it is ???

 

[viper357]

Could have been a pistol shrimp.

 

[Mike]

Could have been a pistol shrimp.

Sounds like a pistol shrimp - they are called thumb splitters for a very good reason

 

[kssquared]

I have a cleaner shrimp & a humpback shrimp (well they only ones I know of).