The Giant, 15-Pound and Growing Crab 'Claude' Makes U.K. Aquarium His New Home

You may want to believe this 15-pound Tasmanian king crab is a hoax, but Claude is no joke. Neither is the fact that he is still a juvenile and is getting bigger.

Tasmanian king crabs are known to grow to nearly 30 pounds by adulthood. Australia's The Mercury reports a "mystery Tasmanian" caught Claude in February and sold the 15-inch long crustacean to Cairns Marine, which then sold him to an aquarium in the U.K. for $4,700. Claude recently arrived at the Sea Life Centre in Weymouth, Dorset, where he will spend two weeks being quarantined before he makes it into his new tank. Here's more on Claude's journey:

"We are a family business and the only sustainable supplier of hand-collected marine species to international markets," Cairns Marine curator Laura Simmons said yesterday. "We want them to arrive at their destination not only alive but in a condition to thrive, so they are settled here before they leave."

She said the special packaging used meant the crustaceans could move around and were supplied with extra oxygen while in the air.

Rather than dining on questionable airline food in transit, Claude had to fast before and during the trip so he did not foul his tank.

"He was pretty darn hungry when he arrived after a total transit time of 35 hours," Ms Simmons said.

On arrival, Claude would have dined on squid, pilchards and mullet."He particularly loves chewing on whole fish," Ms Simmons said.

The Daily Mail reports that he will star as the biggest crab in the U.K. -- large enough to make 160 crab cakes, although that will not be his lot in life. As a comparison, the Daily Mail points out Claude is 100 times bigger than the usual species found around the U.K.

Jemma Battrick from Weymouth Sea Life believes visitors of the aquarium will be "shocked" that people in Australia eat these beasts when they see just how "magnificent" they look in person.

Watch this footage -- with daunting music -- of Claude:

[H/T io9]

Featured image via Daily Mail.