Queensland mum’s ‘weird’ find inside popular Costco seafood

“I guess restaurants maybe pick them out? Even when I cooked them at home, this is the first time I have seen this.”

A mother from Queensland is feeling a bit squeamish after discovering something “off-putting” inside her seafood from Costco.

She purchased the Australian blue mussels from her local Costco, which she planned to whip up for a tasty dinner. 

However, upon eating them with her family, the woman was shocked to find “these little guys hiding in the mussels”. 

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The Queensland mum found a cluster of tiny crabs inside her mussels from Costco. Picture: Facebook

Woman finds unusual crabs inside mussels

Taking to a local Cotsco Facebook page, she shared pictures of several tiny yellow crabs that found their way to their mussels. 

Inside the empty shell were three tiny yellow crabs gathered at the bottom. 

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Pictures of more tiny crabs pulled out from the other shells lay on the kitchen countertops, but the mum explained that “some were embedded in the mussel”.

Two-for-one deal, I guess? 

While she said the “mussels tasted fine”, she and her family were a little grossed out by the surprise sea creatures. 

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“The tiny crabs were off-putting and [had] a weird texture if you accidentally bit them,” she said. 

It was the “first time” she had ever seen something like this in her mussels. “we don’t have them very often and never saw them before,” she wrote. “I guess restaurants maybe pick them out? Even when I cooked them at home, this is the first time I have seen this.” 

After sharing her discovery online, seafood enthusiasts assured the Queensland mother that they were actually pea crabs and it was “very normal” to see them in your food. 

What is a pea crab?

Pea crabs are tiny parasitic crabs that live inside bivalve molluscs - AKA mussels, oysters and clams - and steal their food. They don’t technically harm the actual mussel inside, so they’re not going to ruin your delicious meal. 

They’re safe to eat, too. 

According to White Stone Oysters, while pea crabs may be “a bit off-putting” upon discovery, those who find them should feel lucky, as “pea crabs are considered a delicacy and should be enjoyed”. 

“Historians and foodies alike agree that finding a pea crab isn’t just a small treat; it’s also a sign of good luck.”

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Pea crabs are safe to eat, and are considered a delicacy in some countries. Picture: Facebook

“That's extra flavour, yum!”

The Queensland mum later confessed that she wasn’t the biggest fan of seafood, and it took her a “long time” to enjoy the dishes. “This took me by surprise,” she said. 

It turns out she wasn’t the first person to find the tiny crabs in her mussels. 

“I’ve purchased these mussels many times, and only the last purchase, both packs, had them,” another woman commented in the post. “Meh, we flicked them out and ate the mussels.” 

Others told the mum that pea crabs were “totally normal” and to simply embrace the “free seafood”. 

“That's extra flavour, yum,” a person laughed. “Free snack,” joked another. 

While foodies may agree that pea crabs are a delicious addition to your meal, it seems chefs aren’t as pleased by the minuscule crustaceans. On Reddit, another dumbfounded person shared their experience discovering the “tiny crab” inside their seafood dish. 

In response, a chef revealed how irritating it was to open up a mussel and find a pea crab lurking behind. “They are a pain in the arse,” he said. “As a chef, you'll get 20 dozen oysters to clean, and there will be one in every one.” 

It was a common occurrence for many others, too. “I think I've eaten hundreds of these by now,” someone added.

“Happening all the time, there's at least one crab in every 100 mussels,” said another. “If you chew on something crispy... well, it's a tiny crab.” 

Kidspot has reached out to Costco for comment.

Originally published as Queensland mum’s ‘weird’ find inside popular Costco seafood