Pom Pom Anemone Crab

Pom Pom Anemone Crab (Lybia tessellata).
 
Available for local pickup only
 
📌 Identification
The Pom Pom Crab, also known as the Boxer Crab, is a small, peaceful, and fascinating crustacean famous for its tiny size and the adorable “pom poms” it carries in its claws. These pom poms are actually living anemones that the crab holds and waves for defense and feeding — truly one of nature’s coolest reef oddities!
 
✅ Appearance:
Tiny, usually less than 1 inch wide.
White or tan carapace with a tessellated pattern of brown or purple markings.
Always seen clutching small white anemones in its claws like boxing gloves or pom poms.
 
 Why Reef Hobbyists Love Pom Pom Crabs
These little crabs are highly prized for their unusual behavior and adorable looks. They use their pom pom anemones for two main things:
Defense: They wave the anemones to deter predators.
Feeding: They use them to catch tiny bits of food in the water.
They’re peaceful, secretive, and won’t damage corals or bother other tank mates. They make a unique addition to any nano or large reef system.
 
✅ Reef Safety
✔️ 100% reef safe — they do not pick at corals, fish, or other inverts.
✔️ They’ll spend most of their time hiding in rock crevices and occasionally come out to wave their pom poms.
 
✅ Care Level
Difficulty: Easy — hardy and peaceful, but can be shy.
Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallons or larger — perfect for nano tanks!
Diet: Omnivorous — will scavenge for leftover meaty foods and detritus. Occasionally offer small bits of frozen mysis or brine shrimp near their hiding spots.
Behavior: Nocturnal or most active at night; rarely aggressive.
 
Water Conditions
Temperature: 72–78°F
Salinity: 1.023–1.025 SG
pH: 8.1–8.4
Provide stable reef water conditions — like most inverts, they do not tolerate copper treatments.
 
Tank Mates
✅ Perfect with peaceful reef fish, corals, snails, shrimp, and other inverts.
❌ Avoid large aggressive fish or predatory inverts that may harass or eat small crabs.
✅ They’re very secretive — provide plenty of live rock and hiding spots.
 
Fun Fact
The tiny anemones the Pom Pom Crab carries are Triactis producta or similar small anemones. If a crab loses one, it will often split the remaining anemone in half to grow two new ones — nature’s built-in boxing gloves!