Porcelain Anemone Crab

Geographical Origin and Habitat: Widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific, living in obligate symbiosis with large sea anemones on shallow coral reefs. This porcelain crab lives in obligate symbiosis with large sea anemones on tropical coral reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific.

Taxonomy: Classified within the Porcellanidae family. It features large flattened claws and specialized fan-like structures (maxillipeds) for filter-feeding. Its morphology features wide, flattened claws used for territorial defense and specialized fan-like mouthparts for filter feeding.

Social Behavior: Peaceful and territorial only towards other crabs of the same sex on the same anemone. It spends its life clinging to the host anemone. Peaceful social behavior toward fish, but it aggressively defends its host anemone against competing crabs or shrimp.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Porcelain-white body covered in numerous small red or reddish-brown spots. Males have slightly larger claws than females. The snowy white coloration speckled with tiny reddish-purple dots provides excellent camouflage among the host's tentacles.

Tank Setup: A reef aquarium of at least 10 gallons with a healthy host anemone (like *Entacmaea quadricolor* or carpets) is required. The setup requires the presence of a healthy host sea anemone (such as Stichodactyla or Entacmaea species) in the aquarium.

Diet and Feeding: Filter feeder. It sweeps the water with its fans. Supplement with live or preserved phytoplankton, zooplankton, and fine powder foods. Feeds by filtering the water column with its fans; benefits from regular target feedings of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and powdered foods.

Water Quality: Requires standard marine water conditions: pH 8.1-8.4, temperature 22-28°C, salinity 1.023-1.025, and zero copper content. Requires stable, pristine water parameters typical of reef tanks, paying close attention to calcium and magnesium for shell growth.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Safe with corals. Do not house with crab-eating fish like wrasses, hawkfish, or puffers, nor with highly aggressive crabs. Fully reef-safe; coexists peacefully with reef-dwelling fish, though crustacean-eating predators must be strictly avoided.

Aquarium Breeding: Females carry orange eggs under their abdominal flap. Planktonic larvae are released but rarely survive in standard reef tanks. Breeding in aquariums results in the release of planktonic larvae which rarely survive to settlement in domestic systems.

Risks and Diseases: Autotomy (dropping limbs) when threatened or stressed. Highly sensitive to rapid salinity shifts during water changes. Main risks include molting failure due to iodine deficiency and predation by hawkfish, puffers, or wrasses.