* Wayne Sallee wrote, On 10/19/2006 2:59 PM:
Looks like a common rock crab. When small they usually don't cause much
harm, but can be a problem when they get bigger.

I have one that I brought home from a day at Galveston beach last spring. Dark
brown with black-tipped claws. He was about the size of half my thumbnail when
I put him in my 8-gal. hex. He grew. And he grew. He ate my peppermint
shrimp. He picked off my baby feather-dusters and macroalgae. He started
tunneling and digging. Dug all the sand out from under the rock -- lowered my
reef by 2", tipped over rocks. So I put it back. He did it again. So I put
him in another tank all by himself. He has a gallon of water, a disc of
decorative coral, a piece of live rock, a tiny fountain pump, a bunch of empty
seashells and a couple of mangroves that are starting to root. He eats like a
hog, and is about 1 1/2-2" across. Attacks chopsticks, chases floating plastic
toy jellyfish out of his "spot," will grab your finger if you put it in his
hole. His name is Macho Crab. He's great, but I wouldn't have him back in the
main tank for anything.

Cindy