Done with Crabs, UGH!

[hey]

Again, that's not the point. Are you familiar with first line of the the rifleman's creed? It's not about one creature being more valuable than another. It's about the fact that this particular creature is in my care.

 

So are any pest hitchhikers inadvertently brought into the tank by virtue of owning an aquarium... or as commonly echoed (aiptasia... kill it with fire)

 

I am talking about the bigger picture here, not whether or not you own something and commit to its care but who is anyone to say what is acceptable to exterminate and what is not.

[CronicReefer]

Again, that's not the point. Are you familiar with first line of the the rifleman's creed? It's not about one creature being more valuable than another. It's about the fact that this particular creature is in my care.

I guess he should have eaten the crab then like the rest of us do when we go to Red Lobster.

[amphipod]

I'd have given that crab permanent solitary confinement

 

After all I would have bought it

[Gooburz]

You all can say what you want and think what you want but I will not lose my tank that I have invested thousands of dollars into over a couple dollar crab, he did his damage and I took care of it. If ANYONE here can say they have NEVER killed anything in their tank my hats off to you. I was not going to sit by and let it destroy anything else in my tank.

 

Guarantee 99.9% of the people on this forum have killed something in their tank weather it be negligence on their part or on purpose, at least I can own up to it and not preach like I'm all high and mighty.

[Partially Submerged]

So are any pest hitchhikers inadvertently brought into the tank by virtue of owning an aquarium... or as commonly echoed (aiptasia... kill it with fire)

 

Of course not, because see above.

 

I am talking about the bigger picture here, not whether or not you own something and commit to its care but who is anyone to say what is acceptable to exterminate and what is not.

 

I am. And so are you, and the person who wrote the first negative response to the OP throwing out the crab. Individual points of view differ obviously. And that's why we have arguments like this one.

 

I wonder how many people would be this indifferent to the OP's action if the animal in question had been a dog or a cat.

[Gooburz]

And my LFS will not take the crab back, so yes I did look into that option and no I don't know another local reefer here and no I do not run a sump or fuge so no banishing him to there. So yes rather than sit around or buy a "time out" basket I got ride of something that caused enough damage as it was.

 

But sure let me see anyone else here risk more of their corals and fish to a cheap crab. Anyways this topic is done, the hypocrites have spoken enough.

[Partially Submerged]

I don't think anyone blames you for doing what you had to do to save your corals. It's probably more the tone of the initial email ("chucked the SOB out") that ticked some people off. Glad to hear you explored other options. I recently took three sexy shrimp to a LSF because they kept harassing my corals. It's a good store with a very knowledgeable staff and customer base, but I still felt shitty because I hadn't done my homework on the shrimps.

[Gooburz]

I don't think anyone blames you for doing what you had to do to save your corals. It's probably more the tone of the initial email ("chucked the SOB out") that ticked some people off. Glad to hear you explored other options. I recently took three sexy shrimp to a LSF because they kept harassing my corals. It's a good store with a very knowledgeable staff and customer base, but I still felt shitty because I hadn't done my homework on the shrimps.

 

Well after it happened I started drinking because I had friends come over so I made the post when I was.....well we will say drunk lol. However I have NEVER treated my tank or the creatures I keep it in poorly unless they decide to ruin what I have spend over 2 years building. I have rehoused stuff before but it was just not an option I had this time, plus being a cheap destructive crab I didn't feel bad at all.

[Paandemonium]

Had an emerald crab that had a taste for blondies zoas(back when they were super expensive). I spent 2 hours over the cave where he lived with long tweezers and a shrimp until he got greedy and latched on to it.... he now serves as a monument to all the sassy crabs of the world in my yard

[mrBananas]

I think the arguments on this thread kind of went the wrong direction. Creatures in this hobby can and will die; either naturally, accidentally, or intentionally. And sometimes the intentionally scenario is necessary but that doesn't mean it should be a cruel death unethical. I think people in general would feel a lot better hearing "I had to put my pet down for x reason(s)" as opposed to "I tossed it in the back yard to let it suffer for the last few hours of it's life." I've dissected crabs in lab and I know there's not much in the way of gray matter. They do have a fairly complex nervous system well equipped with nociceptors. That means they do respond to harmful/painful stimulus. However, I'm not sure a crab can consciously experience an emotion like pain/suffering or at least emotions as we understand them. But it's has to be pretty uncomfortable as your gills slowly desiccate leading to eventual asphyxiation as they wither and fail. The take home point being that it could have been handled in a better fashion. I think most can agree killing isn't the best option, but if it's your only option you should try to be ethical about it.

 

Ultimately, you're the Poseidon and it's your little ocean. May you rule as you see fit.

 

 

Decided to do some digging after writing this out and found an interesting article on inverts and pain

[Snow_Phoenix]

I think the arguments on this thread kind of went the wrong direction. Creatures in this hobby can and will die; either naturally, accidentally, or intentionally. And sometimes the intentionally scenario is necessary but that doesn't mean it should be a cruel death unethical. I think people in general would feel a lot better hearing "I had to put my pet down for x reason(s)" as opposed to "I tossed it in the back yard to let it suffer for the last few hours of it's life." I've dissected crabs in lab and I know there's not much in the way of gray matter. They do have a fairly complex nervous system well equipped with nociceptors. That means they do respond to harmful/painful stimulus. However, I'm not sure a crab can consciously experience an emotion like pain/suffering or at least emotions as we understand them. But it's has to be pretty uncomfortable as your gills slowly desiccate leading to eventual asphyxiation as they wither and fail. The take home point being that it could have been handled in a better fashion. I think most can agree killing isn't the best option, but if it's your only option you should try to be ethical about it.

 

Ultimately, you're the Poseidon and it's your little ocean. May you rule as you see fit.

 

 

Decided to do some digging after writing this out and found an interesting article on inverts and pain

 

Actually I wonder, what's the best way to euthanize an invert (in an ethical fashion)? I know with fish, it's recommended to freeze them - it puts them to sleep so they don't feel any pain - but how about inverts? Does the same law apply? And nope, I haven't touched the link yet as I write this. Asking out of genuine curiosity, btw - not intended to fuel the fire.

[mrBananas]

Actually I wonder, what's the best way to euthanize an invert (in an ethical fashion)? I know with fish, it's recommended to freeze them - it puts them to sleep so they don't feel any pain - but how about inverts? Does the same law apply? And nope, I haven't touched the link yet as I write this. Asking out of genuine curiosity, btw - not intended to fuel the fire.

 

To be honest, I'm not really sure the best way. They are cold blooded so I'd assume freezing would be a good way. Lobsters, crabs, shrimp, etc get tossed into a cooler filled with ice when they're caught but I don't know whether it's painful or pain-free.

[CronicReefer]

We always get our crab drunk before we boil them so they don't tense up from the heat. Maybe there is something "ethical" in that.

[hey]

Actually I wonder, what's the best way to euthanize an invert (in an ethical fashion)? I know with fish, it's recommended to freeze them - it puts them to sleep so they don't feel any pain - but how about inverts? Does the same law apply? And nope, I haven't touched the link yet as I write this. Asking out of genuine curiosity, btw - not intended to fuel the fire.

 

the best way I believe its been discussed that I have seen is clove oil, which contains an eugenol, which is an anesthetic. Put a good bit in water let em swim in it. Also same for fish freezing apparently shocks them which causes stress before death from what I have read.

[Deleted User 8]

You are missing the point completely. What makes you an authority on what critters life is more valuable than the next is where this all goes? There is no difference asides from the one you validated in your head was a reason. When looked at impartially as 2 living things killing A is the same as killing B, commitment or not.

 

 

 

Lots of things need killing, even humans. The point is (which you are missing) is once it is determined somethign needs to be killed, you do so in the most efficient, painless (humane) manner possible. Gettting pissed off at something and killing it in a slow, painful manner is wrong and borders on sociopathy.

 

Buzz

 

However I have NEVER treated my tank or the creatures I keep it in poorly unless they decide to ruin what I have spend over 2 years building. I have rehoused stuff before but it was just not an option I had this time, plus being a cheap destructive crab I didn't feel bad at all.

Obviously, you just don't get it. The crab didn't just decide one day to be a dick and ruin your 2 years worth of work. It wasn't personal for the crab.

 

Getting pissed off and throwing it in the yard to dry out and die was just wrong regardless of how expensive it was or how destructive it became.

 

Buzz