Red Spotted Coral Crab

Red Spotted Coral Crab is intended for a reef aquarium with a compatible living branching coral. Coral guard crabs stay close to their host, using its branches for shelter and obtaining food associated with the colony. The coral's health is therefore part of the crab's husbandry.

Select the host carefully before introduction. Different coral-associated crabs use different corals, and a spotted colour pattern does not prove that an available Acropora or Pocillopora colony is the correct match. Keep the colony in suitable light and flow, with enough space between branches for the crab to move.

Avoid crowding rival coral crabs into a limited host. Their defensive behaviour can make apparently small animals territorial. Choose neighbours that leave small crustaceans alone; occasional food particles delivered to the branches do not remove the need for a living host.