Sally Lightfoot Crab care guide
Sally Lightfoot Crab (Percnon gibbesi) — minimum tank 100 L, temperature 24-26 °C, pH 8.1-8.4.
Overview
Sally Lightfoot Crab (Percnon gibbesi) is a marine spray crab of the family Percnidae, listed in the Aquairi knowledge base as an intermediate-level species. Fast flat-bodied crab with red, yellow and blue colors. Excellent algae grazer when small but eats fish, shrimp, and invertebrates as it grows. Switch out at adult size.
Taxonomy
- Family: Percnidae
- Genus: Percnon
- Scientific name: Percnon gibbesi
- Common synonyms: Nimble Spray Crab, Urchin Crab
Habitat
Percnon nimble spray crabs (family Percnidae) are flat, fast-moving reef crabs of tropical seas that dart across rock and live among the spines of sea urchins for shelter. They graze algae and scavenge on the reef. In the Aquairi knowledge base this species is recorded from Caribbean, Eastern Pacific, Mediterranean (invasive).
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L (26.4 US gal)
- Adult size: 5-8 cm
- Temperature: 24-26 °C (75-79 °F)
- pH: 8.1-8.4
- GH: 8-12 °dGH
- KH: 8-12 °dKH
- Salinity (specific gravity): 1.024-1.026
- Lifespan: 2-5 years
Diet
The species is an omnivore, grazing algae, biofilm and detritus across the rockwork and substrate; in aquaria its diet is supplemented with dried algae and sinking foods when natural growth is scarce.
Compatibility
The Aquairi knowledge base lists this species as semi-aggressive. Suitable tank mates include Large fish (juvenile only). It should be kept away from Small inverts, Slow fish, Coralline-rich SPS reef. This species is not fully reef-safe and may pick at corals, sessile invertebrates or small tank mates.
Breeding
Breeding requires an extended planktonic larval stage in open water before the young settle, which makes captive reproduction very difficult and rarely accomplished in home aquaria. Most specimens in the hobby are wild-collected.