[cactus94945]

On 3/30 I posted about an Emerald Crab going into a 'cave' and walling itself in and asked if this was normal molting behavior. Well, he/she came out of it after about three weeks because the wall was knocked down from the inside.
Since then I've lost a Harlequin shrimp, a cleaner shrimp and a scarlet shrimp. I found the cleaner shrimp tail that was cleanly severed. Today I found that the Coco worm had been pulled out of it's tube and the heads are mostly gone. I threaded it back into the tube and after a few hours it has extended it's butchered head. I had found it near the 'cave'. (sidebar- interesting looking creature).
My fish are simple/safe types and one brittle star was seen once.
I feel I now have a monster crab that I have to remove. Thoughts?

 

[cactus94945]

Size

Not sure as to size as I haven't seen him since he came out. Was quarter size plus(w/o legs) when he went in.

 

[cactus94945]

Size

No, no. That was the size w/o counting his legs.

 

[cactus94945]

Good News

I went in and disassembled the front half of my reef. I found the (a?) crab. It is not an Emerald Crab so that means he was a hichhiker on live rock from a year ago. The two Emeralds may be victims too since I haven't seen them in several weeks.
He shell is ~1 1/2" square and ~3 square overall. I'll research what kind he is later.
Jim