SPS eating crabs????

[jumpincactus]

Hey all, was doing regular tank cleaning and such today. One of my Acro's has been looking sort of ill. Almost looking bleached out in just one area of the main trunk. So I decided to pull it out for a closer look. In between the branches I saw something move. Upon further inspection it was some sort of crab. Sucker was really small, about the size of a matchead.

I got a magnifying glass and it was indeed a crab. Weird looking .My question is are there any species of crab that feed on SPS corals. Now I know there are certain flatworms and rebugs that prey on SPS but this was certanly a crab. Im thinking this is what has been causing the coral to look sickly.

Any input???? I would have taken a picture but the dang thing would not have shown up in a macro shot. Of course it now resides in the sewer mains. I did not put it back in my tank.

 

[Anonymous]

Some do, some don't. If you want to be safe, leave it out of your tank.

 

[Unarce]

What did the crab look like. What color was it. There are some acro crabs (or bandit crabs) that live within the branches of colonies. Some consider them beneficial, as they actively defend their host in the wild and also keep the inner branches nice and clean.

 

[Anonymous]

Usually the hairless one is safer. However, even the acro crab can do a bit of damage to the coral as it try to make a nesting site.

 

[Anonymous]

I had 2 acro crabs in a colony that RTN'd. Afterwards I have not seen the crabs since. They weren't in the colony when I pulled it out and fragged it, but have no idea where they went.