Sally Lightfoot Crab

Looks how to spot one

Hard, very flat exoskeleton

A flat-bodied crab built for squeezing into narrow rock gaps. The long legs carry a row of spines along the front edge and are ringed with yellow or orange at the joints, set off by a brownish body.12

Personality what they are like

Quick and alert, darting into crevices at the slightest movement. LiveAquaria rates it semi-aggressive: large adults may grab small fish or invertebrates, so choose tankmates with that in mind.2

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Very active, scrambling over rocks to graze. It does best with lots of rockwork and a decent water flow.2

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Rated easy. Keep calcium, magnesium, iodine and trace elements at reef levels for healthy moults, and add dried seaweed if the tank runs short of natural algae.2

Home where they are happiest

A larger marine aquarium with plenty of rock to hide in and strong water movement. LiveAquaria gives 72-78 °F (about 22-26 °C), pH 8.1-8.4, dKH 8-12 and specific gravity 1.023-1.025. In the wild it lives among boulders, and in the Caribbean often near sea urchins. No minimum tank size was given by the sources.21

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Wild crabs are plant eaters, which is unusual among crabs. In aquariums it grazes algae and can be given dried seaweed plus some meaty foods if algae is scarce.12

Company who they like around

Usually kept singly in a community tank. Avoid very small fish or shrimp as tankmates once the crab is grown.2

The story where it all began

Henri Milne-Edwards described the species in 1853. It became a familiar reef aquarium algae grazer, and in 1999 it was found for the first time in the Mediterranean, near Linosa off Sicily, where it has since spread to several countries.1

Recognised by the official bits

Taxonomy (via Wikipedia)

Described by H. Milne-Edwards in 1853; placed in family Percnidae (formerly Plagusiidae).1