Crab Pearls
Can Crabs Make Pearls?

Crab pearls have recently been in the news, when someone found what looked like a pearl in a stone crab leg. A gemologist graduate confirmed that it was a "pearl".

Since then, two other people have notified me about finding what looked like a "pearl" in the leg of a King Crab.

What do you think? Can crabs make pearls?

I do know that any mollusc, even a small, common sand snail can make a pearl. An interesting section at the current large pearl exhibit traveling the world had a wall of mounted examples of such seemingly unlikely candidates for growing pearls, but crabs aren't molluscs, or are they? Can they grow pearls?

One pearl collector explains it this way: "In principle, they are made of the same material as the carapace of the crabs. Mostly an organic compound close the the "nails" material or the chitine within the insects, scarabs etc... I saw one formed inside the brain of a fish, same composition as the fish scales."

Check out the crab stories. Below this form you can find links and if you have found what looks like a "pearl" in a crab, I invite you to share your story and photo here.

Ever Found a "pearl" in a Crab?

Do you have a great story about this? Share it!

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

Found a Crab Pearl but It Changed After a Week 
Hi! On 6/18/2023, we found what we think is a crab pearl in a colossal king crab leg. I wasn’t sure how to care for it. It has just kind of sat out for …

Pearls in King Crab Legs !!! 
Found these white Pearl looking things in our recent purchase of King Crab legs. Didn’t really realize what they were so we unfortunately didn’t save …

Julie found a pearl in a rock crab leg in Sweden 
I found one in a Rock Crab leg in Sweden!! Looks just like the tiny white one in the picture from Oregon!! It’s about 3 mm in dismeter (about 1/8”). And …

Crab Pearl Found in a Dungeness crab from the Coos Bay/North Bend area of Oregon. 
Found in a Dungeness crab from the Coos Bay/North Bend area of Oregon. Maybe 1/8".

Found one I am sure! 
Its cold out and so we ordered red lobster for delivery with Grubhub. I am a strange one and I pick all the meat out and put butter on it and eat it with …

Found a crab pearl - I am sure! 
Its cold out and so we ordered red lobster for delivery with Grubhub. I am a strange one and I pick all the meat out and put butter on it and eat it with …

Pacific NW Dungeness Crab Pearl 
Eating some recently caught Dungeness Crab and found this pearl. Had no idea crab could form pearls

Birthday pearl 
Was eating some crab legs tonight for my 36th birthday, when I found a round white pearl.i consider it good luck,seeing how I found it at my birthday dinner,in …

Anniversary Surprise 
As is tradition, my husband and I were preparing Alaskan King crab legs for our anniversary dinner (14 years 7-13-21) when my son pulled this pearl from …

Mother’s Day surprise  
My Mother was eating king crab legs on Mother’s Day surprise when she originally thought she chipped her tooth only to find a white pearl. We didn’t even …

Pearl in a stone crab in Wales 
We bought 2 large dressed stone crabs in Saundersfoot for dinner today and distressingly, my partner bit in a stone. Not realising, it ended up the bin. …

King Pearls?????  
My wife and I purchased 20 lbs of King Crab legs, we cooked 3 legs and a claw immediately, as I was biting down on the meat from the claw and thought I …

King crab pearl found in a leg. 
I found a "pearl" in a king crab leg this weekend; approximately 9/16" diameter.

Elizabeth Found Crab Leg Pearls 
I went to the boiling crab yesterday with my bfs and I found two in one of the legs. They are a light pink color. I'm still doubting these are pearls but …

Great Grams, the Steampunk Emporium Lady 
Yes, indeed, crabs do make pearls! I was on a cruise recently, had had an especially bad day (yes, even on a cruise bad days can happen!). Suffice it …

Kitchen Confusion 
My husband went to Sprouts and bought our 5 year old daughter a little treat of one crab leg for Easter, and while she was eating it she found a teeny …

Crab Pearl? 
I was eating an Alaskan King Crab tonight and bit into this. Was wondering if it is actually a pearl and, if so, if it has any value? Also, has anyone …

Crab Pearls 
Just tonight, my wife and I found a pearl in our crab legs. In 50 years of eating crab, this is the third one I have ever found.

Helen Finds a Crab Pearl 
Mothers day evening, 2013, I decided to treat myself and defrosted some king crab to eat, while enjoying this most delicious treat I bit down on something …

Mothers Day Pearl 
My family and I were eating a great surf and turf dinner on Mothers Day. I was cracking a King Crab Leg and I felt something round near the leg knuckle. …

Happy 12th Anniversary Crab Pearl 
Last night my husband and I went out for our 12th anniversary and had crab legs for dinner. I bit down on something hard, only to find a pearl like rock. …

Anndie's Crab Pearl 
My son, Jeff, works at the grocery store Albertsons. He decided to treat us to dinner. He brought over king crab legs that he purchased at the store. …

Not just one but almost 20 Crab Pearls!!! 
My family and I were at the Crab Cooker in Newport Beach, Ca. for my mother's birthday. We've been going since my brother and I were small children. We …

Crab pearl found in King crab leg 
We decided to splurge and by two pounds of king crab legs. While eating some of the deliciousness, I bit down on what felt like a rock. Thank god I didn't …

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Crab Pearl in Hood Canal  
July 3, 2012 Eating crab for lunch and bit into a nice sized pearl. White, oval. Like a tic-tac except flattened. Actually found it in the smallest …

NY King Crab Pearls ! 
Last night for our Good Friday dinner, we went to an amazing seafood restaurant (Popeis) and I treated myself to King Crab Legs... So I am happily cracking, …

Crab Pearl at Mikes Seafood Sea Isle City 
Me and my wife were eating King Crabs and she found what looked like a pearl. We took it home....interesting.

Pearl in Crab Legs 
My brother was eating a crab leg and he felt it in his crab leg and said "why is there a rock in my crab?" My mom was like "Jesse, I think it's a pearl!" …

Pub 199 in NJ the "pearl that went for a whirl" and back! 
We were having dinner at Pub 199 in NJ . My daughter culd not finish her crab legs and so I eat them.(dad)...I hate waste. As i was eatin it i felt a …

I Found A Crab Pearl! 
We were all eating dinner at Pub 199 at Lake Hopactong. I was eating dinner with my Wife, Daughter, and Son. My daughter ordered King Crab legs. "Daddy, …

Pearl in Colorado Crablegs 
On 12/19/2010, we were dinning at our local Red Lobster. I had ordered their King Crab legs. In one of their Large Claws, something fell out as I …

Crab Pearl Information 
Crab Pearl Information I discovered a crab pearl when I was twelve years old and it fascinated me. It was pink in color and shaped like a drop. I took …

I found a crab pearl today 
Ate at Joe's Crabshack in Redondo Beach, CA tonight and found a pearl at the base of a king crab leg, at the first joint. It's about the size of a finger …

Nikki Found a Crab Pearl 
I also found a king crab pearl. Same way. My boyfriend and I were eating king crab and he bit one and gave it to me. Anyone find out if it is worth anything? …

Alaska Crab Pearl 
A year ago, 4/16/09, my wife and I were having King Crab for dinner at home. I found a quarter inch diameter pearl in the meat of one of the big claws. …

Pearl in a Red King Crab?! Rouge Regeneration Cell Gone Wild? 
My wife lives in Anchorage, AK and I and our two girls live in Jacksonville, FL. with me till we move up in a year & a half. Earlier yesterday we bought …

Girl with a pearl!!! 
Our family has gathered for almost 15 years for "crab leg night", and have never seen a crab leg pearl. On March 12th 2010, we picked crab legs up from …

The Date Night Shocker Crab Pearl 
I was resently eating out with my husband on a much needed date away from our children. I ordered King Crab Legs as my meal. A bit later here comes three …

Found a pearl in King Crab legs on Valentine's Day 
Not so interesting story.. my hubby was eating and lightly bit down on something hard. He pulled it out and it was a slightly rectangular "pearl" that …

Chrismas Eve Pearl 
Found a pearl looking substance while eating Alaskan king crab legs for Christmas Eve dinner. I cracked the thing open and the inside consisted of dark …

Found Pearl in King Crab from Safeway Grocery 
Purchase King Crab today from Safeway Grocery in West Seattle and found a hard round pearl like substance. This is not the first time I found one last …

Pink Pearl In my Snow Crab legs~ 
I was enjoying my lunch today at Red Lobsters. I ordered the snow crab legs and couldn't wait to taste them. I cracked open the long leg and found a nice …

I found 2 crab pearls? in my crab legs today 
Are these really pearls? I found one that was round and one that looked like cartilage. It was not as round. What are these? The round one is a mauve color. …

Dungeness Crab Pearl 
Found one about 3/16" diameter in a Dungeness Crab claw. Researched and found this on Wikipedia: "Biologically speaking, under the right set of …

Dungeness Crab Pearl 
Last night I bought a dungeness crab at QFC. When I was eating it tonight, I was surprised to bite into something round and hard. Right away I thought …

Found pearl in king crab 
Is it worth anything?

Pearl in a King Crag  
Our daughter bit into a pearl in her King Crab. It is largely a gray color with a pretty pink blush to it. Very unusual.

Found A Crab Pearl! 
So we were eating at a steak house and my mom ordered some crab legs... she was eating away and bit into what seemed like a pearl. we had no idea what …

Yes!! 
This isn't super interesting, but we just found a pearl in a king crab leg. It isn't opalescent like a regular pearl, but it is a nice sized white stone. …

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Repeat performance 
I am the guy who posted "A partially formed crab pearl" six months ago. Yesterday we cooked up a batch of king crab legs for Father's Day. These were …

Restaurant Customer in U.S. Virgin Islands 
Today, at lunch, I ordered the crab legs. We were at the Lime Inn on St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. In the very last piece crab, near the joint, …

I Found 4 Crab Pearls  
My name is Tonya, from Oregon, on Saturday June 6, we purchased several Alaskan king crab legs, to our surprise, my husband bit into the meat of the crab …

buffle_head 
6-8-09 found a "crab pearl" this evening while eating king crab legs. It's white and roughly round, quite a surprise!

What the?? 
Well, same start. . . My husband and I were eating king crab legs and I bit into something hard. I pointed out the round hard "thing" and he said, "It's …

Never knew there was such a thing as a crab pearl 
Bit into a wonderful big King crab 0nly to find a pearl exactly the color of the crab & the size of an average pearl. Took it back to seafood store & owner …

Crab Pearl Lunch 
While on lunch from work, I had decided to devour a King crab leg from the evening before. While waiting for a hot dog to nuke itself in the microwave, …

Wife Bit Into Crab Meat and Found A Pearl 
My family decided to have some King Crab legs for supper on May 9, 2009. My wife had just pulled some of the meat from the knuckle were the leg meets …

mmmm....*CRUNCH*......what was that? 
I was eating crab legs at Joeys Only Seafood when I bit into something hard, so I spit out my food and found this little pearl. My bf said crabs can't …

Jack pot in the buffet line?? 
I was eating king crab at a seafood buffet at an Idaho casino when something fell out of the claw shaped like a small bird egg. At first I thought …

A partially formed crab pearl 
A found a pearl in a king crab leg last month (Chistmas dinner '08). While I fiddled with it it separated into two pieces. You could clearly see the …

King Crab Pearl? 
I purchased a box of King Crab Legs at the local Grocery Store for my son and I because they were having a great sale and we both love King Crab. When …

New Years 2009 Pearl 
We had a feast of Alaskan King Crab for our New Years Day supper. My husband pulled a beautiful shiny pink object our of his mouth. It was a pearl. …

Pearl in a King Crab Leg 
Hi, my name is Nita, I was at home on 11/30/08 and had boiled some king crab at 7:30 pm. I sat at my table and started eating my crab when I felt something …

Another pearl (from a king crab leg)  
I purchased some king crab legs from a popular named grocery store. I had to go to 2 different stores before I could find any. I purchased all that they …

Found a pearl in my Alaskan King Crab Legs, I think 
I went out to dinner with my high school friends tonight in NJ. I was eating King Crab Legs and something rounds was in my mouth. I took it out and dropped …

Pink Pearl in King Crab leg 
Last week, I was dining at an all you can eat King Crab leg buffet at a casino in Temecula, California. I bit down on something hard and, out of my mouth, …

Birthday surprise! 
It was my mother's birthday and we were having King crab legs and special side-dishes and I was on my second leg. I bit down in a big chunk of meat when …

My King Crab Leg "Pearl" 
While enjoying a rare, king crab leg dinner on Friday past, 4/18/08, something rolled around my plate. It certainly looks like a pearl. I am not certain …

King Crab Pearl  
My Gentleman / Significant Other, Bruce, decided we should dine on some King Crab that was in our freezer since January '08... the last we had, purchased …

Found what looks to be a Pearl in a Dungeness Crab Leg 
I was eating a Dungeness Crab tonite and in it I found a pearl after I bit into it. It looks to be a scallop pearl. Does this happen often? I have eaten …

Stone Crab Pearl? 
BAY CITY — Crab tooth or a pearl, Paula Miller thinks it’s a keeper. The Bay City resident was dining on stone crab claws over the weekend, and after …

King Crab Pearl? 
January 2008 -- I don't know if this is a pearl or not. We were eating King Crab legs at a restaurant in Naples, Florida and my mother bit into this little …

Pink pearl found in a king crab leg at a local restaurant  Not rated yet
First all I think is was amazing. I had bit down and thought is was my tooth that had broken. Spit it out and still thought it was my tooth till it didn't …

Crab pearl!!?? Not rated yet
Bought some fresh crab on the Oregon coast and found this little thing inside one of the claw arms. Pretty cool!

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I found a crab pearl  Not rated yet
My cat Tanzee and I were enjoying a Dungeness crab together when out popped a pea sized pearl. It really made my day ,😀! Of course Tanzee didn't appreciate …

I just found a pearl in my crab leg also Not rated yet
Eating a crab leg and bit on a hard object since I found a pearl in a oyster I kind of knew what it was!

Anniversary Pearl in my crab! Not rated yet
Last night my husband and I went out to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary. We were enjoying some delicious king crab when I bit down on something hard, …

Found a pearl in a king crab tonight Not rated yet
Setting around the dinner table my brother bit down on his wonderful king crab claw then spit it out.. he asks everyone at the table what is this??? After …

Study of a Crab Pearl Not rated yet
A coworker found a pearl inside the joint of a Dungeness crab arm and brought it in to show us. We cut it in half using a saw and there was a beautiful …

Dungeness crab "pearls" Not rated yet
I had some amazing crab for mothers day and ended up with pearls. The dungeness crabs where caught off Lummi Island in the San Juan Islands and I picked …

Found a pearl in a king crab leg? Not rated yet
Went to Bully's East Restaurant and Sports Bar in San Diego on Superbowl Sunday/2015. I ordered king crab legs at halftime. While pulling the meat out …

I got a crab pearl too! Not rated yet
I ordered a king crab lunch and took my crabs home to enjoy them. After I broke up one of the claws, the beauty in the photo was nestled in the joint …

Found a "pearl"? in Dungeness crab leg Not rated yet
Treated myself to a Dungeness crab and bit down on what appears to be a pearl.. almost perfectly round, was white when I found it but dried to a pale pink. …

Buffet Clam Pearl Not rated yet
We were at a buffet with crab legs and as I was eating *crunch*, it was the tiniest white bead. I wondered if crabs could make pearls and found my way …

King crab pearl for my birthday! Not rated yet
I lived in Alaska as a teenager, so my husband always makes King Crab for my birthday dinner. This year I found a very nice round pearl in the joint of …

Glad I'm not the only one who thinks they've found a crab pearl Not rated yet
I was enjoying some Alaskan king crab legs that I got from the local grocery store one night when I took a large morsel of crab meat and bit down on something …

Found a pearl in a dungeness crab cluster Not rated yet
I was eating at Sea Galley in my home town of Anchorage, AK. I didn't think much of it. I don't know how common this is, or if it has any value at all. …

crab pearl Not rated yet
I caught a crab which had a hard ball in the nipper. Looks like a pearl. Is it? I have found a smaller one since. What are they worth?

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