Crab Problem?

[Hoplosternum]

Hello,

I have recently (last night actually

) discovered that my 15 gallon SW tank has a fairly large crab in it. The tank contains about 30lbs of LR and about an inch of argonite sand. There is a recently purchased Cleaner Shrimp, Perc Clown and Neon Goby in the tank.

The crab is between 1" and 1.5" accross and is orange/pink in colour with some reddish blotchs on its carapace. It has fairly large hairy claws but I only caught a brief glimpse of him by tourch light. I have no crab identification books, but he fits the Delbeek & Sprung discriptions of both the Mithrax and the Shamedfaced crabs.

The tank had been empty of fish and unfed for about 4 months until I added the new livestock. The crab had not eaten the few snails or the small hermit I had in the tank at that time. The pods and small worms had multiplied in that time too. There is a fair amount of Macro algae (which i crop occasionally) as well as a little bubble and hair algae on the rocks in the tank.

Does anyone know what he might be and whether he will be dangerous to my fish and shrimp? How could I remove him if he is? I have had him for nearly a year and gone through two tank moves yet never seen him until now?

Cheers

 

[nala]

It will probably be impossible to get a positive id on him. But from my experience all crabs are suspect. I would just keep an eye on things for now. I usually let things stay as long as they cause no problems...innocent until proven guilty

 

[christian]

if the crab is not killing anything , and you have had him 4 a yr, why would you wanna remove him? if he was an agressive crab, you would have had some casualties by now. i had the same worry. i have a small 1 inch white colored crab. i had my tank about 4 months before i discovered him. i see him more often now. he seems to feed on the food i over feed my fish and what ever else he can scavenge.. as long as he behaves he can stay. the miniute i loose a fish he will be in the gumbo pot!