1 1

Little Shop of Coral

Spotted Trapezia Crab (Trapezia rufopunctata)

Spotted Trapezia Crab (Trapezia rufopunctata)

$40.00 CAD
$40.00 CAD
Sale Sold out
Size

The Spotted Trapezia Crab is a small, reef-safe coral crab best known for living in and around branching corals, especially Acropora and Pocillopora. In the right reef, it acts like a tiny bodyguard, helping keep the coral clean by scavenging mucus and leftovers, and it may defend its host from some nuisance predators. It is a great choice for established reef tanks that already have suitable branching coral for it to live in.

Why we love it

  • True coral-dwelling crab with fascinating host behaviour

  • Often seen perched in branching coral, keeping watch and scavenging

  • Reef safe and generally gentle in mixed reefs

  • Adds a natural symbiosis look to SPS displays

Care and Compatibility

Care Level: Easy to Moderate
Temperament: Generally peaceful, can be territorial around its host coral
Reef Safe: Yes
Diet: Omnivore (scavenger)
Adult Size: Small, usually under 1"
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons recommended (best in established reefs)

Ideal Parameters

  • Temperature: 24 to 26 C (75 to 79 F)

  • Salinity: 1.024 to 1.026

  • Stable alkalinity and calcium support coral health and invert stability

Feeding

Most of the time it will scavenge within the coral and around the reef, but occasional feeding helps keep it healthy.

  • Leftover fish food and frozen food scraps

  • Small sinking pellets for inverts

  • Tiny meaty foods like mysis or finely chopped seafood
    Target feeding near the host coral after lights dim often works well.

Tank and Setup Notes

  • Best kept in tanks with branching coral it can live in

  • Provide rockwork and peaceful zones near the coral, it will spend most of its time there

  • Stable salinity is important for all crabs, avoid rapid swings

  • Avoid aggressive cleaners or predators that may pick it out of the coral

Compatibility Tips

  • Safe with corals and most reef-safe inverts

  • May pick at other small crabs if space is limited

  • Avoid tanks with hawkfish, triggers, puffers, and larger wrasses that may hunt small crustaceans

  • Works best in SPS-focused reefs where it can claim a coral home

Acclimation and Health

Drip acclimation is recommended. This crab may hide for the first few days as it finds a host coral. Once settled, it is typically hardy as long as the tank is stable and it has a suitable coral to live in.

View full details

LIGHT

LOW: Place coral at the bottom of the tank. Depending on the type, coral may need to be placed off sand and therefore mounted on a ceramic disc of piece of rock.

MEDIUM: Place coral at mid-range of the tank. Best placed/glued on top of a rock scape at mid-range height. 

HIGH: Place coral from mid range to just below water level. SPS coral are shallow growing so they require and are able to tolerate intense light.

FLOW

LOW: Most soft coral do well with a small, gentle pulse. There are certain corals that can even be placed in areas of indirect flow, meaning places aside a rock structure or set into a entrance to a cave style space.

MEDIUM: Many LPS types of coral prefer medium pulse current. Most Euphyllia or corals that have more tissue structure connected to their skeleton, don’t like to be in a high flow area like the direct flow of the wave pump.

HIGH: Similar to high light, SPS enjoy being in some heavy current. Most LPS and SPS that branch encrust or plate prefer high flow that simulates the top water waves.

SKILL

ENTRY: While some may say beginner level, "Entry" is a good term to be used when starting out in the world of corals and marine life. Prior to adding livestock, you want to ensure that your reef has the proper parameters including zero levels of ammonia and nitrite. Seeing traces of nitrate in your waters is a good sign - just keep them at a lower level of 2ppm to 10ppm. Maintaining correct temperature and salinity are a huge factor to stable parameters. Starting to monitor your PH, alkalinity, calcium and magnesium is a great habit to get into to keep a successful reef.

While some soft coral don’t require too much light, having a proper reef light that puts out the proper pars is very important. You'll also want to have a good amount of flow and protected rock areas, as placing corals in their happy spot is ideal for success.

ADVANCED: