Anyone ever heard of an Emerald crab changing color

[Brid96]

Has anyone ever heard of an Emerald Crab changing color??? Someone thought that it may be molting but it has been thsi way for almost a month. He shows no signs of sickness or anything but is definately not green anymore. The majority of his body is a yellowy brown color, and his claws are a dark redish brown. Any ideas, just curious not concerned.

Brian

 

[TomD]

Even though you are not concerned, he looks like a bad crab to me. I know that is EXTREMELY vague but by the general rule of thumb as it is almost impossible to id all critters I don't think I would feel safe with him in the tank.

I do not think it is an emerald imo.

 

[JohnK]

could it have just molted? l

ooks like an everyday emrald to me, but the coloration might be a bit different after a molt?

 

[OceanGuy]

Doesn't look like an emerald crab to me. It could also be in the process of molting. There is some color change there when the new shell is developing.
I'll look forward to reading others' opinions.

 

[JohnK]

Which critter in the pic are we looking at? To me the one on the right clearly looks like a emrald/mithrax/

 

[TomD]

Yeah and the one on the left is a pom pom?

I am just biased right now towards emeralds due to my acan incident....but then again it has never touched another acan. There must have been something on it he liked.

 

[penguinsix]

It has pointy black claws and hairy legs, I wouldn't trust it.

 

[FinzAquatics]

i am also going to say that it is an emerald. there are a few types of crabs that are considered emerald crabs... the one in the image i would say is one of them. no worries in my book

 

[TomD]

It has pointy black claws and hairy legs, I wouldn't trust it.

That was my extremely vague rule. Better to be safe than lose expensive corals to a crab that gets hungry one day

 

[Brid96]

Almost definately an Emerald

He is almost definately an Emerald since I have purchased 5 and i have 5. Though I never bought one that was not green. I am convinced that hi used to be green. He could have just molted but nearly 4 weeks to go back to being normal.... He does look kinda scarry but I think that is why I like him : p. I have not seen him cause any trouble if anything he is more skittish than my other "Emeralds"


Brian

 

[mloebl]

I had a green one turn reddish/purple as it grew up. He's a couple of years old at this point and happily munches on algae and corraline algae at night when the lights go out.

-Mike

 

[smithcreek]

Yeah and the one on the left is a pom pom?

I am just biased right now towards emeralds due to my acan incident....but then again it has never touched another acan. There must have been something on it he liked.

I'll bet there was something UNDER the acan that he wanted. I've put zoa frags in my tank that the emeralds have ripped off their base rubble to get at the tiny bit of algae growing.

 

[Greg Hiller]

I recently purchased a number of Mitrax crabs. They were multiple different colors, but all seem to be good 'doobies'.