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Finally got a pic of the crab I've been chasing for months


revaltion131

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This guy has been in my tank since May but I had yet to be able to snap a good picture, and I thought it was gone for quite awhile. I thought he was at first a harmless "sand crab" of the xanthid sort. However, now that I got a good look at him, I'm thinking he's one of the not-so good ones. The crab is sand-colored and hairy as all get-out. It seems to be nocturnal and I have not seen any corals or fish turn up with mysterious damage, except for a little acro frag that has a missing patch of flesh caused by an unknown source. Unfortunately, I can only see half of the crab and that doesn't include a real good look at pincers. Here is the picture I did get, with the crab "circled" in light green.

 

12170801.jpg

 

I believe it is this, a Pilodius sp.

 

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/reefs/guamimg/cru...es/Image43.html

 

Any opinions and help you all can give me would be greatly appreciated. :)

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I believe I have the same type of crab hiding in my tank as well. Its extremely shy/cautious and only seems to come out at night.

 

I set up a trap for him last night but was unsuccessful. Will try it again tonight.

 

Let me know how you get yours out.

 

Right now I'm just using a cut up plastic water bottle, with the top cut off and shoved back in backwards. Have it baited with mysis.

 

What is the origin of your live rock? Mine is half Fiji and half Florida Keys, but I'm pretty sure he came on the Key rocks.

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My rock is all Fiji. Getting the bugger out will be hard because he lives in the very porous rock at the top of my 'scape. If I put a trap any lower, it will probably snag the emerald, maybe the peppermint, possible some hermits and nass...lol. I will try a small trap towards the top, the question is just if it gets the crab or other things I purposefully put in the tank...

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Yeah, I remember the cool little bugger. I have a bunch of maintenance in the tank to do this weekend, so I may try to snag the little crab out of his hole after dark and before I get going. I have a sump I can put him in finally. :D

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I have a crab in my rock that is going to be hard to catch. It is shy and really hit my snail population hard. If I can't remove this crab I may take out the rock where it stays. I would only do this as a last choice and try another rock instead.

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I have a crab in my rock that is going to be hard to catch. It is shy and really hit my snail population hard. If I can't remove this crab I may take out the rock where it stays. I would only do this as a last choice and try another rock instead.

 

The problem with removing rock for me is that there are three acro frags already attached and encrusting, along with the bonsai on the plug in the pic. It's the top rock and a great position for SPS. I think I'm going to have to try to tweezer it out.

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The problem with removing rock for me is that there are three acro frags already attached and encrusting, along with the bonsai on the plug in the pic. It's the top rock and a great position for SPS. I think I'm going to have to try to tweezer it out.

 

I share your pain, good luck. I have tried to tweezer method a few times. It sounds easy until you try and grab the crab, lol!

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I just read in another thread about a really great way to catch crabs and other nocturnal unwanteds, but I don't remember who wrote it...so I apologize to the writer.

 

Anyway, they said that they place a shot glass into the tank and place a little liverock "ramp" up to it. Place some food in it and wait. I guess you'd have to repeat this until you captured the unwanted guest. Thought this was a great way to catch a crab or something...

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I had a hairy looking crab similar to that in my 24G. Weeks prior to catching him two sand sifting gobies disappeared. Pull out the rock he was in and put it a 5G bucket until it came out. No MIA fish after getting rid of him. Not sure if it was a coicidence or not.

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I just read in another thread about a really great way to catch crabs and other nocturnal unwanteds, but I don't remember who wrote it...so I apologize to the writer.

 

Anyway, they said that they place a shot glass into the tank and place a little liverock "ramp" up to it. Place some food in it and wait. I guess you'd have to repeat this until you captured the unwanted guest. Thought this was a great way to catch a crab or something...

 

Ignatius14, thanks we could write a book on this subject I'm sure. I will try anything to avoid taking the rock out. I will test this out this weekend.

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